"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10)
Seeking to please others is a struggle I deal with on a daily basis. Im sure many of you also struggle with this as well. Who we are trying to please changes over time and is different in every season of life. If you are a teenager you are probably trying to seek to be pleasing to a young man or are trying to please the popular girl at school. If you are older you may be trying to seek the approval of your parents or your boss. Whoever you are seeking to please, scripture says, if we are seeking the approval of man we will not be a servant of Christ. When I read this I was convicted spiritually. We need to make sure that we are seeking to please God first in EVERYTHING! Once we seek God in everything he will help us please others. We will not have to worry if this person likes us or this person thinks we are awesome because one, God not only likes you but loves you and already thinks you are awesome, and two, if you are seeking to please Him He will take care of the viewpoint others have of you. When you seek God first His love radiates out of you and shines for all the world to see!
Now do I know how to completely be free from the struggle of trying to please everyone? Absolutely not, sorry. I do know two things that have helped me. One, give it to God in prayer. Pray everyday when you wake up that you will impact others for good and he will lead you to the right people to influence. Pray that he will help you please those that are worthy of your pleasing. Secondly, to overcome the struggle of trying to make everyone happy is to change your mindset. You have to get it in your mind that you are only out to please God and he will take care of the rest. I'm not saying ignore people and have an indifferent attitude towards others but you have to realize you cannot please everyone. Trust me I know! People are going to judge you and not like you sometimes and that is okay. Forgive them like we talked about in my last post, and move on! Know in your mind that you are a child of God, and if you are trying to please Him, He works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
In his book called Hadassah, Tommy Tenney speaks to young women who are trying to seek the approval of man. He says, "First you must be someone who knows who she is and how she fits into the world, who needs no one but God to make her a whole person." It is imperative that you choose to see yourself this way. If you do not then you will constantly be seeking the wrong approval. Seek God's approval and He will make you into what He desires you to be. In the end you will save yourself years of worry and trouble because you have chosen not to seek the approval of an ever changing world full shifting opinions but have chosen to seek the approval of a never changing and loving God.