Praise Comes and Goes

Begin a new week of untangling from approval with this sobering episode about the fickleness of human praise. Based on Psalm 118:25-29, we learn that much like Jesus who heard the crowds proclaiming the words of this psalm at the Triumphal Entry, we can hear praise from people one day and the very next be their enemy. Rather than being grounded in people's approval of us, we must be rooted in the love of God.

What You'll Learn:

• Why people's approval is unstable and God's love is steadfast
• What happened between Palm Sunday and Good Friday
• Why we crave approval and how it tangles us
• The difference between being rooted in God's love versus grounded in human praise
• How Jesus remained secure despite shifting public opinion
• A practical untangle moment to shift your foundation from approval to God's love

The Triumphal Entry: Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling prophecy. The crowds went wild—laid down palm branches and cloaks, shouted "Hosanna!" (meaning "save us now!"). They quoted Psalm 118: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" They celebrated Him as the Messiah, the King, the one who would deliver them. The approval was overwhelming. The praise was loud. Jesus was the hero of the moment. And then the week unfolded. And everything changed.

From Hosanna to Crucify: By Friday, those same crowds—or at least many of the same people—were shouting "Crucify him!" What changed? Jesus didn't meet their expectations. They wanted a political Messiah who would overthrow Rome. He came as a suffering servant who would die for their sins. When He didn't give them what they wanted, their approval turned to anger. Their praise turned to condemnation. This is what people's approval does—it's conditional, based on whether you meet expectations. And when you don't, it disappears.

The Tangle of Approval-Seeking: When you live for people's approval, you give them control over your peace, identity, and worth. When they approve, you feel good. When they don't, you feel terrible. Your emotional state is determined by their opinion, which can change at any moment. You make decisions based on what will earn their approval instead of what God is calling you to do. You compromise, perform, exhaust yourself trying to keep everyone happy. And even when you get their approval, it's never enough because you know it could disappear tomorrow. You're constantly anxious, constantly working, constantly seeking. It's a tangle that keeps you stuck, insecure, and enslaved to opinions that shift like sand.

God's Steadfast Love: The psalm says "His steadfast love endures forever." Steadfast—unchanging, unwavering. Not based on your performance. Not dependent on whether you meet expectations. Not conditional on your success or failure. God's love for you is constant. It doesn't shift from Sunday to Friday. It doesn't turn from praise to condemnation based on whether you disappoint Him. His love is the foundation that doesn't move, the approval that doesn't change, the security that doesn't depend on anything you do.

Your Untangle Moment: Identify one area where you're living for people's approval, then practice untangling by shifting your foundation from their praise to God's love. 

Perfect for anyone living for others' validation, anxious about what people think, or learning to be rooted in God's steadfast love instead of fickle human approval.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 118:25-29 Series: Untangle Week Theme: Untangle from Approval

Discover how to be rooted in God's steadfast love instead of building your identity on approval that comes and goes.