Man’s Approval or God’s- Which are you following?

This has been an idol in my life. Yes, an idol. The Lord revealed to me that pleasing others or caring about what they think has been an idol in my life. Something that has gotten in the way of obeying and following God’s leading in my life.

Anything that we value can become an idol in our lives. So, let me ask you. What is the idol in your life? The thing that is most important to you? Is it financial security? Is it your family or friends? Do you live to please them and “fit in” with how they want you to perform or act? Is it your health? Or your family member’s health? The thing you strive for constantly and have your mind fully focused on? Is it your job, your profession, your career? Is it having your life “look” a certain way, the way other people’s lives look like or the way you’ve always envisioned your life would look? These dreams and desires and pursuits are not necessarily bad in and of themselves. My considering what other people think is not bad on it’s own… But, when a desire or pursuit becomes most important in your life, most preeminent, what you think about often and set your thoughts, motivation, and energy on, it has likely become an idol in your life. That which is most important in your life. The thing you are living your life for. Your why. Your purpose… And in that, you are focused on pleasing man, and not focused on pleasing God.

Galatians 1:10 calls us to lay these idols down in our life. This pleasing of man. It calls us to focus our perspective on God and ask Him what we should do in our life. Truly listen to His voice. And then go forward and do it. Setting aside the clamor of everything else around us. Seeking His wisdom and direction in our pursuits, in our job & career choices, seeking Him in our relationships. Seeking to glorify Him with our life in every aspect. And the Lord will bless that. As we pursue being a servant of Christ and what that looks like in our own life. What God desires to do with our life— to honor, obey, and serve Him.

And so I ask. What is God calling you to? What has God been quietly prompting you to do in obedience to Him? Is there something that has been standing in the way of it? Something you keep bringing up to Him as the excuse and reason for not going forward with it… Like Moses did when God called him to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery and into freedom. Read Exodus 3 & 4 for that story. Moses said I’m not eloquent enough (Ex. 4:10). Surely, God, you are mistaken with this plan. Surely, you should use someone else for your purposes (Ex. 4:13)… But, God had strategically placed Moses in that time and that place at that exact moment to be used for His purposes in His plan for the Israelites and to make God’s name great. Moses. God knew what He was doing every step of the way though it was uncomfortable for Moses. God is the One who equipped him. God had a plan.

What is God calling you to friend? What is God calling me to? Let us set down our idols and pleasing of man before the Lord and allow Him to equip us and sustain us as we follow His leading. As we focus our mind and hearts on pleasing God and all that entails. He will lead the way.

Here is a prayer for us friend… God, help me and each person who comes across this article to focus in on your leading and direction in our lives. Lord, help that to be the loudest voice we hear. Not all the clamoring noise of all the people around us and their expectations, society’s expectations, and even our own to-do lists and expectations we place upon ourselves. Father God, I pray right now, in this moment, that You would help me, help us discern what You would have us do today, right now, and each day ahead. Help us set aside pleasing others or caring about what they think. If we are in Your will and obeying your direction, then we are exactly where we should be and doing exactly what we should be doing. Lord, let us surrender to You what “they” will think or say of us when we do life differently because we are following You. You are mighty. You are good. Your name is to be praised and glorified. Help me and us Lord to be a servant of Christ, a servant of You. Amen.

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