The only approval we can count on is God’s approval. It’s not based on who we are or what we can do, but on who He is and what He already did for us through Christ.

“Mom you just don’t understand!” 

Those words made me feel a hundred years old! I remember saying them to my mom, but never thought I’d hear them from my own sons.

As teenage boys, the pressure to fit in is sometimes more than they can handle. And I get it. I want my sons to feel accepted by their peers, but I also know their need for approval can never be completely filled by their friends.

When one of them wanted a new video game that was rated M for mature, I reminded them that having healthy boundaries on what they see is not negotiable. I also told them I understand the need to fit in, but getting acceptance from people is a never-ending search.

I’ve discovered the hard way the only approval we can count on is God’s approval. It’s not based on who we are or what we can do, but on who He is and what He already did for us through Christ.