Approval Addiction

There is a detail that seems to be run over in the text. In verse 6, it speaks of Jacob’s well and the 6th hour. No woman is supposed to be at the well at the 6th hour. Going to the well at that time was their social time. The well became a place where they could be seen as part of society. The woman in the text came to the well at her time due to the disapproval from the social woman. She would prefer to deal with the heat of the day than deal with her disapproval of society. Some of us are living in their 6th hour.  

We know how to pray for different things. There is a bondage in the church that we cannot say. It is called approval addiction. Approval addiction is when someone seeks approval for who they are or what they have accomplished. The people whose names need to be called at church, or a compliment that needs to be given. Anyone who walks around stating their name is not being called approval addict. The more you receive recognition you receive, the more you need it. What happens when the person no longer appreciates you?  

God is not sharing his glory with anyone else. God is a jealous God. Jealousy is about ownership. What is mine should be mine. The fear of man brings snares, but he who trusts in d shall be saved. The fear of man does not kill you, but it holds you. It holds men in debt. People are purchasing things for approval, when they do not care about what you own. A person who seeks approval becomes an obstacle to worshiping God.  

The Lord has already approved you. He knew your thoughts were far off and still called you. Some of us are high achievers and are perfectionists. These are people who are saying I am not sure if we are enough. The church has become a supplier of these expectations. Everywhere we go, we have to call everyone’s name. We made the platform approval. We let the few do most of the work. Your identity comes from the Lord.  

In the church, we seek to hit instead of a relationship.

The Hour

Jesus came to the well for one woman. The Samaritan woman was ritual unclean. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. Doing this, he broke the racial wall, moral wall, and social wall. The Jacob well is one that is well recognized. The well is deep. Her need is deeper than her well. That is spiritually important. When you seek addiction approval, you will always be back to the well. The Jacob well requires activity. You don’t have to dig your own well. Jesus is the source of everything the woman needs. Addiction never announces itself. Think about this: There is no d was asking you if there is no acknowledgment of it.

Saul lost the kingdom because he was seeking the approval of the crowd. He failed to seek the approval of God. A leader who needs to be liked can never lead. Pilate had an approval addiction. He had the power to release Jesus. Pilate referred to Caesar rather than the approval of God. This 6th hour cost us the community. She picked the 6th hour to avoid the woman, but it cost her the community connection. You might be on the run, but God is running to get you too.

The Well

Too often we treated the woman. In that culture, the woman had no power to issue a divorce. Five times she stood at the well. In the other marriages she was covered, but in the relationship she was currently engaged in, she did not have a covenant relationship. A broken system will hold water only for a moment. You can’t depend on people’s approval for your life. You have to let the Lord do it. We are comparing ourselves to ourselves. That is not wise. It is not wise to compare yourself to someone who has been more established than you.

Approval dies at the well.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Worship is the answer. Worship is the cure. Worship is the antidote for approval. The true worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth.