People Pleasing

I’m a people-pleaser.

I don’t like disappointing others; I don’t like the feeling that I have somehow let them down. In elementary school, I didn’t like when my teacher would give me that well practiced “look” that told me I had done something wrong. At home, I didn’t want to do anything that would majorly upset my father; I couldn’t bear to disappoint him. The day I told my boss at the lumberyard I would be quitting on July 1, I felt awful, like I was letting him down, giving him a reason to be disappointed in me. Yep, I’m a people pleaser through and through.

As I was reading through Paul’s letter to the Galatians awhile back, I was struck by a familiar verse. One that had been underlined for years:

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” (1:10)

This verse has begun to speak to me more boldly in the past couple of days as I consider some rather significant potential changes that Jordan and I are facing. One of the changes may disappoint some people – some of them whose opinions I value very highly. But as we spend time praying over the decisions before us, I am pushed to the Word and to its truth. If the LORD calls us to make these decisions, then we must be obedient to Him – not to the world, to our friends, or to our family. We must be faithful to what He calls us to. No matter how ridiculous it seems to the world.

“’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are My ways your ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:9-10

“Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:24