Note before sharing the devotional: Occasionally, I’ll come across a devotional and react with “thank you!” when I see its message. Long story short, in my life even to this day, I have felt as if I have had to please other people, especially those who think they ought to have some kind of authority in my life. The truth is, in cases where another person is pressuring me to please them and it doesn’t feel right in my spirit, I’ve often fought it and lost, usually due to my speaking up and speaking the truth and getting shot down by other persons with a sort of seniority/superiority complex. The truth is, beyond whatever measure inasmuch as it pleases God, I don’t care to please other people or to just “roll with the punches” as if the other person’s “punches” are the only ones that matter. Thanks to the redemptive work that God has done in my life over the last 10+ years between salvation and recovery, I found my voice and have been learning to use it to speak up for myself. I have my own punches too, and while I generally prefer not to have to throw them, I will if necessary. As Christians, yes, we are called to be salt (Matthew 5:13) and light of the world (Matthew 5:14), but sometimes the moment calls for cayenne pepper. Jesus, after all, didn’t sit idly by while the money-changers were setting up shop in the temple charging resort prices for all manner of wares. Neither did He “ask them nicely” to please move their tables out to the main parts of the city and set up shop there instead. No! If you’re a believer, you know what He did next (Matthew 21:12-13).
I’ve continued to become more aware of how, several people in my new-ish circles as of the last few years have added other requirements to the Gospel. Yes, tithing is a requirement if you are a believer and want God to bless you in this life. But it is not a prerequisite for being saved. I can already hear some of these people responding, “we never said that it was a prerequisite!” My response to that is simply, whether or not they said it with words, they have said it with reactions and emotions to other situations. They’ll take something that is in the Bible but apply it wrongly and defend their action because, after all, it is indeed in the Bible. Tithing is but one example, and ironically one that hasn’t affected me emotionally as much as other things (probably because I am in fact tithing and doing my best to make sure the numbers are correct on that).
The example I think about from past blog posts is homosexuality. Yes, it is a sin, and there is no way God will excuse a person if they continue in it. But instead of addressing the issue with such a person, I would much rather preach the Gospel to them, without compromise, and tell them that although some things in the Bible are hard (even when interpreted and applied correctly) He still loves them. I would much rather encourage such a person to talk directly with the God of the Bible and bring their questions and complaints to Him, and let Him address it with them. After all, I did that once upon a time when I was pro-gay marriage, and God in His kindness and mercy spoke to me, even though His speaking was to correct my thinking. I believe that’s how God wants to operate.
I still remember the day in my yearlong Bible-reading
program reading through the first three chapters of Paul’s letter to the Galatians
plus the accompanying video recap. That day’s Bible reading and recap were like
medicine to my heart. The issue at hand was about circumcision, which is a non-issue
in my circles today, but the deeper issue – adding additional requirements and
burdens to the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ – is very much still an issue. To experience
Paul outright rebuking the Jews in Galatia who were still trying to get the
Gentiles to adopt their customs as a requirement for receiving Jesus as their
Lord and Savior – rebuking in righteous anger and not merely “asking nicely”
(cayenne pepper vs salt) – I actually felt like someone was finally in my
corner.
My concern with the aforementioned members of my new-ish circle as of the last few years is two-fold: one, that they would let things slide in cases where I am convinced I have a legitimate case, and two, not only so, but that they would instead challenge me also to lay down my case, suck it up, and let myself be afflicted. My answer is no to that. I do understand that there are times when afflictions come and I cannot get out of them. I do need more of Jesus for those. But I also recognize times when there’s an option to sign up for additional affliction or to decline to do so. I’m sorry, but when presented the option, I will decline. I have had many historical afflictions throughout my life that have not been resolved or healed or even partially explained (if not completely). I busted my butt for a decade in therapy to grow up because of the shape I was in when I first started. I worked hard to receive healing and learn how to be a functioning adult in society. I worked hard to get past as much of my past that I could, that I was aware of at the time, just so I could grow as a person and be able to pursue some of the things in adult life: marriage, independent living, financial independence, and so on. Praise God that I have these things! Without Him, none of this happens. But I still have a lot of pain and disappointment and so many things left unresolved (in spite of my repeated choices to forgive and forgive and forgive each one as it comes up) at this point that it makes it essentially impossible for me to want to go for “extra credit” in the personal and spiritual growth category.
I will freely admit that I am a work in progress as much as
the next person, and I’m equally aware that if I want grace I need to give grace
also. That said, my desire is to live simply and to have faith simply.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Acts 15:28-29,NKJV
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6, NKJV
I do want to have faith. I do want to please the true God of the Bible. But I’m beyond tired of being pressed, in a sense, to please other people by having to suffer their baggage disguised as having faith and pleasing Him.
Who Are You Trying To Please?
Have you ever struggled with people-pleasing? With caring more about what a human being thinks of you than what your Creator thinks of you? With wanting to honor God, but also wanting to be loved and respected by people?
Writing to believers in Galatia, Paul had a message for those deciding if they should trust the stand-alone grace of Jesus, or add rules and regulations to Jesus’ finished work. He said:
“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Every day and every moment, we have a choice: to seek human approval or God’s approval.
And if we genuinely desire to please God, how do we do so?
Contrary to many other religions, it’s not by doing enough good works to tip the scales in our favor. But as Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it’s impossible to please God…” The only part we have to play in our salvation is having faith in the One who saves.
Faith is essentially trust, so think about it: Who do you trust? Who are you trying to please? Who are you hoping notices you and accepts you and is proud of you?
If you’re interested in evaluating your own motives—which can sometimes be difficult—you can ask yourself these questions:
- Am I influenced more by cultural trends, societal pressure, and the opinions of others—or by the Word of God?
- Am I trusting that there’s nothing I can add to the finished work of Jesus, or am I believing the lie that Jesus plus something else is required?
- Am I committed to trusting God, even when I might get canceled, blocked, fired—or even killed?
If popularity is your goal, living for Jesus might be a challenge. But if you’re committed to trusting God, then He calls you to live differently. He invites you to embrace His approval by showing others unconditional kindness, patience, grace, and love.
At the end of this life, you will stand before an audience of One. So who are you trying to please?
Prayer: God, thank You for loving me even when I get caught up in pleasing others. Sometimes I get so focused on what the world thinks that I forget I am not made for this world. Please refocus my heart and guide me to live for You – even if society tells me otherwise. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Note after sharing the devotional: I think I needed to vent earlier in today’s post. This is not something I intend to make a regular habit on this blog, but in recognizing a goal I found myself adding back in 2019 when I rebooted this page I want to use this blog to not only share my faith but also invite the reader into a few layers of my own personal relationship with the God of the Bible, through the Lord Jesus, to hopefully speak to those who might have similar struggles or even stumbling blocks that to date have prevented them from receiving Him. It’s not about me; it’s about the Lord Jesus. At the same time, I hope that the things about me that I do share on here help to remove any walls or potential walls that otherwise might be there not only between us but also between you and Jesus. His salvation, mercy, and grace are available to all who choose to say, “Yes, Lord, I’m in” to Him. Heaven and hell are still real, and God and sin cannot coexist. You and I both must repent of all our sin and choose to trust Jesus for everything in our lives. And we will have to stand before God and answer Him regarding everything we’ve ever done and left undone in our lives once we die. But that doesn’t mean that we won’t still have struggles. Even the vaunted Apostle Paul had this to say in his letter to the Romans:
13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
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