This week’s message is about people pleasing and seeking approval from others. Being absorbed with what others think about you is quickest and most effective way to disregard what God believes about you. But what if our lives were more like this: Being absorbed with what God believes about you is quickest and most effective way to disregard what others think about you.
A few Bible verses to reflect on this week as you prepare to worship on Sunday.
The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that. –Proverbs 29:25 (The Message)
Obviously, 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. -Galatians 1:10 (NLT)
For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. -1Thesslonians 2:4 (NLT)
Here is a prayer in Prayers From the Water’s Edge that moves us from pleasing people to becoming the person God wants us to become. I encourage you to pray it this week!
Somebody I’m Not
Dear God,
You know who I am.
You know who I am not.
Help me discover myself.
My present. My limitations. My possibilities.
I care too much what others think about me.
I work too hard telling the world I’m somebody I’m not.
Diminish the gap between how I portray myself to others and who I actually am.
Redirect my time, energy, and creativity from managing my self-image to becoming a better self.
Let me be totally real and vulnerable with others.
Fill me with authenticity and humility.
Amen.
