Whose Approval Am I Seeking

In review of Galatians 1:10 it says, “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

Bottom Line:

Do not try to please people. Instead please God and be a true servant of His.

What this means to me:

My goal should not be to win the approval of others, but of God. If only pleasing people with sweet talk and flattery were my goal, then I would not be a true servant of Christ.

I often spend part of my life trying to please others (especially when it comes to work, with my client. In Galatians Paul had to speak harshly to the Christians there because they were in serious danger. He did not apologize for his straightforward words, knowing that he could not serve Christ faithfully if he allowed the Galatian Christians to remain on the wrong track.

Today, I will consider whose approval am I seeking; other’s or God’s. I will pray for the courage to seek God’s approval above anyone else's.

What I’m learning is that grace can set me free from the tyranny of others. I should consider if I’m being held hostage by the foolish opinions of others or their unreasonable demands. I should not let someone send me on a guilt trip when I’m following the will of God. Once I get on that ride, it would be hard to get off!

Regardless of what I do, someone is going to blame me for something. I cannot please everyone all the time. That’s just a fact. Every family and every church has people that are “grace killers.” Rather than letting them decide my life, I should consult God. He already has a plan in place for me.

I shouldn’t become a prisoner to the performance trap either. I will never earn the approval of others by what I do. Just give it up! Don’t make people your lord and master. Either be a people pleaser or a Father pleaser. Which do I want to be?

Seems that seeking to please God will make my life a much more peaceful place.