Happy Monday Everyone!
I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend.
Today, I’m participating in a blog carnival with Rachel Olsen. She’s hosting a devotional carnival in which several bloggers will link up and post their devotionals on a link at her blog. This month’s topic is “Pleasing God”.
I’m sharing an oldie but goodie devotional that I wrote back in June called, “The Need to Please” for the blog carnival.
I’ve reposted it below and here is a link so that you can read other wonderful devotions by fellow bloggers and writers.
Feel free to join in the fun and link up with her. Rachel Olsen’s Blog Carnival – Pleasing God
The Need to Please
We all are born with the innate need to please.
When we are children, we desire to please our parents. Even my two year old desires to please me by doing his “chores” around the house. He claps for himself after he does them and looks at me for approval after he’s done. If I don’t respond right away or express my appreciation, his feelings are hurt.
When we are older and in school, we feel the need to please. Some of us had friends that we shouldn’t have had in school, but we felt the need to please them and be accepted in the “in crowd.”
We do our best at work because we want to please our boss so that we can be looked upon favorably when it comes time for raises and bonuses, or the dreaded layoffs.
The need to please can work to our disadvantage. Sometimes, we hold back from saying things that we should have said, or hold back from doing things that we should have done, just because we want to please people and be accepted.
But what if we took all the energy we take in people pleasing and put it into pleasing God?
He desires that we spend time with him. We don’t have to compete for time with God. He’s always there for us and there is no popularity contest with Him.
Do your best at work, but work as unto the Lord. Trust Him to be your source, not your boss or employer. God can provide for you even when you are unemployed. Promotions come from above.
Take some time this week to make a conscious effort to please God in all that you do. Don’t worry about pleasing people. Only what you do for God will last!
Romans 12:2 NLT – Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
***Don’t forget to sign up for The Princess and the Frog DVD giveaway! It ends on tomorrow, March 16th at 12:00PM CST. Make sure you enter for your chance to win.
Have a blessed day!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I try to keep this in mind, especially about work. I always want to please God every day of my life. He is my judge, not people.
Focus on pleasing God, not on pleasing man … this is one I have to be reminded of frequently.
Thank you for reminding me today.
Sweet blessings ~ Rachel
Focusing on God is total key. I think I sometimes make it seem harder than it really is. Like I need to do something GREAT (in the eyes of man/myself) to be pleasing God. When He is usually pleased in the "simple": like obedience, displaying the fruit of the spirit, spending time with him.
Such a great post!! I know that sometimes I focus on pleasing so many others, I forget about pleasing God. That is the main ONE I should be pleasing! Thanks for the reminder!!
He always seems to be remembered at the end of my day.