I Can't Possibly Please Everyone

Am I trying to win the approval of men, or of God?  – Galatians 1:10

How often do you feel like you’re being pulled in too many different directions by family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances vying for your time, energy, and emotions.

Recently, a close friend explained to me the tangled mess of an unfolding drama she was swept up in. I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that just trying to follow her story made my head spin.  I completely understood why she was confused and questioned what her next step should be.  

Her predicament boiled down to this:  tell the hard truth or gloss it over in order to win others’ approval and better position herself within a relationship.  I knew she was going to make the right decision when she said “Everyone is telling me I should do this, but I don’t think that’s what God would approve of.”

Do you care more about winning the approval of others than of God?  I know that’s a tough question.  People can (and will) pick up the phone or text you to tell you exactly what they think. God’s direct line to you, though always open, is sometimes harder to hear.  That’s why knowing His word is vital to our life of faith and the decisions we make.

God makes it very clear about many things He disapproves of: murder, adultery, theft and the like.  His advice on some other things, like finding peace in difficult times or experiencing comfort in the midst of mourning, is a little more challenging.  The advice is there, but a little harder to find within the Bible’s 66 books and thousands of pages. 

If you desire to live God’s way and gain His approval, I have an idea for you.  There’s an App called Bible Gateway.  It’s free and can be downloaded from the App Store onto your phone.  The App makes the Bible accessible to you 24/7 wherever you go.  What I use most is the “search” function. Type in any word on the search line next to the magnifying glass icon and within seconds you’ll have a list of relevant scriptures.  

I’m certain that when we go to God’s word for clarity and direction, we instantly gain His approval.  God’s word contains His guiding principles and His good plan for your life.  When we follow God’s ways, we might not gain the approval of all those around us but we do gain the approval of the One who is most important on this earth and in heaven.  

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