In asking the Lord what to write for this devo, I got this verse:
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
– Galatians 1:10
I thought, “But what will people think of this?”, immediately proving His point. I very often fall into people pleasing and seeking others’ approval because it feels good.
This has been something I felt challenged on recently, as I’ve been saying yes to quite a few commitments based on wanting to help others and considering how other people might feel about the decision. I’m not saying wanting to help people is a bad thing, but it can easily turn into people pleasing.
As I’ve started bringing God into more of my decisions, I’ve noticed “no” coming up more often. At first, I felt guilty about it, but as time went on, I felt more at peace about saying no. The reality is that you can’t please everyone. Even God doesn’t do that. However, if we are trying to please an audience of one (God), it’s actually quite freeing.
If we seek out God’s direction and guidance and follow it, we may not please everyone, but we will please God. Ultimately, His approval is what matters most.