Nothing To Prove

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.

“What do you want to do next?” Kyle asked me one morning as we drank our coffee together before the busyness of the day began. I’d just finished another manuscript and was feeling relief about turning it in.

“I’m not sure,” I responded. “Part of me thinks I’d enjoy working at a coffee shop.”

“That doesn’t sound bad,” he responded. “But it would definitely be new for you.”

“I don’t know,” I tried to explain. “It’s not that I don’t have more dreams, because I do. I just don’t have this overwhelming desire to prove anything to anyone anymore. Not like I used to anyway. Maybe that’s what happens when you get old,” I said with a laugh.

My husband nodded. He’s been with me long enough to know that I have people-pleasing tendencies and care (sometimes too much) about what other people think, not only of me but of my family as well.

And although there’s certainly nothing wrong with desiring a good reputation—the Bible tells us we should—we can often cross a line to doing things to try to impress others or make them like us at the expense of being our true or real selves.

No matter who we are or what stage of life we are in, we are told not to seek the approval of people, but of God. If we want to be Christ’s servants, we can’t let pleasing those around us be our goal. Caring about what God thinks, and doing what he says, is always most important. And when we know how much we are loved and accepted by him, pleasing people takes a back seat. There is freedom in letting go of others’ approval and accepting God’s, which is readily available to each of us.

Kendra

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Do you try too hard to win the approval of others? Spend some time thanking God that he already loves and approves of you, and ask him how you can let go of the need for others’ approval.