Acceptance fosters trust and relationship

Raj knew he was a child of God. Calling upon God as Father, who loves and cares, empowered his life and took away all fear. As the word of God promises, “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father. The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8: 15-16). When mental truth became an experiential reality Raj knew God in Christ both knows him and loves him.

Acceptance is the foundation on which Raj built safe and growth inducing relationships, with God and people. The process of our transformation into the likeness of Christ is based on the assurance that we are known and loved.

Isn’t it true that some people like us because they don’t know us; while some know us, and therefore don’t like us? Relationships develop when both knowledge and love are present. Raj had come to know God knows him by name and loves him with a sacrificial love! How marvellous to know that the Creator of this beautiful universe loves us and accepts us the way we are. Acceptance bridges this gap between being known and being loved. It is liberating to realize that being known doesn’t damage a relationship, but in fact fortifies it. When people are in an accepting environment, they can stop pretending to be someone they aren’t; they can rest in the relationship. All our masks fall down when we rest in the assurance of being loved. Genuine relationships bring about much needed inner healing in our emotional life.

This is what trust is about. Accepting relationships provide the needed environment to be our true self with all our idiosyncrasies. We don’t have to revise every word and step on eggshells to stay happily connected. We can be carefree in how we talk about ourselves; we can be who we are.