---
title: Do You Really Deserve Affirmation?
description: Flight was delayed an hour, but I could care less.  As much as I wanted to see my family, I was feeling on cloud nine after a few days with…
---

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# [Do You Really Deserve Affirmation?](https://blog.marathonyouthministry.com/blog/do-you-really-deserve-affirmation)

 Written by [Christopher Wesley](https://blog.marathonyouthministry.com/blog/author/christopher-wesley) | Sep 15, 2011 11:30:00 AM

Flight was delayed an hour, but I could care less.  As much as I wanted to see my family, I was feeling on cloud nine after a few days with youth ministers who showed me so much love.  It was a time to reconnect with God and revisit why it is I am a youth minister.  The affirmation was overwhelming and I come back to Baltimore with a great sense of confidence.***  
***  
While it’s a blessing I find it common to receive affirmation from fellow youth ministers.  Theirs a solidarity and if anyone is going to give it to you it’s someone else in the trenches.  But, is it something I should expect?  Is it something we deserve?

> ***“NO”***

Youth ministry isn’t about receiving praise, it’s about emptying yourself so that God can use you to do amazing things in other’s lives.  It’s a harsh truth, one that I’ve denied facing, but if I keep doing what I’m doing, expecting others to affirm, I’ll only find myself disappointed.   
As youth ministers we need encouragement, and we need to be cheered on; otherwise, we’ll burn out.  So, where do we get affirmed?  When we are with God and when we spend time with Him.  What prevents us from getting it?  That comes down to:

> *“Who we are trying to please?”*

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