A friend from high school, Lina, forwarded the following piece that addresses a universal social disease: trying to please the world. It is really sad that humanity cares more about getting along with fellow human beings than being pleasing in the eyes of their God.
When we worry about what other people think, we let them control us. We waste a lot of time and energy trying to figure out what other people want us to be and then trying to become like that.
Worrying about what other people think is dangerous, because we're more likely to cave in to criticism. It means we don't always do the right thing; instead, we do the thing that everybody wants us to do.
And we're in danger of missing God's best, because we're so worried about what other people want us to do that we can't stop to think about what God wants us to do.
Talk About It
Who are you most concerned with impressing, winning the approval of, or pleasing?
TO GOD BE THE GLORY.
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"It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you." (Proverbs 29:25a GN)
Worrying about what other people think is dangerous, because we're more likely to cave in to criticism. It means we don't always do the right thing; instead, we do the thing that everybody wants us to do.
And we're in danger of missing God's best, because we're so worried about what other people want us to do that we can't stop to think about what God wants us to do.
- Fact #1: You cannot please everybody. Even God can't please everybody. One person prays for it to rain; another prays for it to be sunny. Who is God going to answer? God can't please everybody. Only a fool would try to do what even God can't do.
- Fact #2: It's not necessary to please everybody. There is a myth that says you must be loved and approved by everybody in order to be happy. That's just not true. You don't have to please everybody in order to be happy in life.
- Fact #3: Rejection will not ruin your life. It hurts, sure. It's not fun. It's uncomfortable. But rejection will not ruin your life unless you let it.
The Apostle Paul says, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31b TEV) This means we can think like this: "God likes me, and I like me; if you don't like me, then you have a problem. If God likes me, who cares that everybody doesn't approve of everything I do?"
Remember, nothing you ever do will make God love you less. Nothing you ever do will make God love you more. He loves you completely right now.
Talk About It
Who are you most concerned with impressing, winning the approval of, or pleasing?
The knowledge that "nothing you ever do will make God love you less" should bring peace to your life. How does your life reflect that kind of peace?
TO GOD BE THE GLORY.
HONOR GOD. MAKE DISCIPLES.
Lina
