Validation is such an interesting things. A lot of times we tend to seek validation in external sources rather than in who God has called us to be before the creation of the world. Before Christ, I tried to find my validation in relationships. From romantic relationships to friendships, I tried to use people to fill voids in my life that only Christ had the power the power to fill. I was stuck in a cycle of “people-bondage”. I only felt beautiful when other people affirmed my beauty. I only thought I was relevant when other people told me that I was. I only thought that I was loved if my partner ended our conversation with the words “I love you.”
After Christ, I naturally thought that I will suddenly start finding validation in Christ. However, this proved to not be the case. I realized that I found validation in my academics and reputation. Weird flex right? But hear me out really quickly. I always felt like I always had to be so ‘put together’ and I had to maintain a 4.0 GPA. I did not believe I was smart whenever my GPA dropped and I was sacred to obey God a lot of times because I did not want to ruffle any feathers. God had to break this mentality from my life because the truth is that nothing else has the power to validate me but Christ.
The problem with finding validation in external sources is the fact that everything aside from God will fail you. A lot of times we try to get validation from people who do not have any credentials. Galatians 1:10 says “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” The truth is that if we only have to give an account to God. Any other place we run to for validation will leave us empty. John 4 gives the story of the woman at the well. The woman at the well exhausted all her resources in places that never had the power to satisfy her. A lot of us are like the woman at the well and we draw from various wells in our life to find validation. A lot of us find validations in our careers, our bank accounts, or relationship and we are left empty every time.
Validation only comes from God. I simply want to advice you to seek validation from the only person who has the authority to give it. Stop trying to find validation in the things you do but find validation in the person of Christ. What you do cannot give you validation because you are more than what you do. Everything you look for in other sources is found in Christ. He validates you and in Him, there is nothing missing.