Have you ever recognized, in your life, the need to be liked? The drive to make everybody happy? The seemingly unquenching desire to make sure that everyone is always pleased with you? In the midst of that desire - have you come to the conclusion yet that no matter how hard you try, you can't please everybody? You can't. So many times we are consumed by what others think of us. And the truth is that when we obsess about what others think about us, we can insure that we will forget what God thinks about us.
One of the things that I believe has been my greatest struggle in life is overcoming my need to please. I want everyone to always be happy with me. I don't ever want to disappoint. I don't ever want to let anyone down. I am driven at times by a desire to make others happy with me. Many times, if I'm being completely honest, I think that I'm more concerned about what others think of me than I am of what God thinks of me. Maybe you are too.
At some point, we must come to the realization that no matter how hard we try, we can't please everyone. But there is ONE who we can please. I want to live me life in pursuit of the applause of heaven and no longer be concerned with the applause of men. I want to know that the life I'm living in pleasing to God and HIM ALONE. If you like me or you don't is of little value. But if Jesus is pleased with me holds eternal consequence. I want to live for an audience of ONE. And at the end of the day, if I receive His applause, everyone else's will come or won't matter.
And so today - I want to encourage you. Don't get caught in the traps laid before us, clammoring for man's approval and desirous of others applause. Concern yourself with putting Jesus in His proper place in your life and live to please Him. In so doing, you will insure that your relationship with Him becomes deeper and more fulfilling as you recognize the power of knowing what God truly thinks about You.
I know it's been a while since I've posted (almost a month). Just a few updates for you: Please continue to pray for my mom - she's been undergoing treatements for cancer that was pretty wide spread. I've been spending a lot of time with her and I can honestly say that everyday I'm encouraged by her wisdom, her strength and her undying love for Jesus Christ. We serve a God who's able and we stand on His Word and seek His favor. Thanks again for standing with us in faith. God bless you - love all of you - let's aim to please Jesus and watch our life blossom and grow for Him! Pray for Him today to regenerate your mind and allow you to have your mind transformed into His image. . . "Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)
I'm living for the applause of God - if I receive a little of man's applause along the way, I guess that is just a byproduct of aiming to please Him!
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