“Advocate Control”
“When you live your life to please someone, you advocate control of your life to them.”
I love this! For two reasons.
#1 As a Pastor, I listen to stories every week of people living in addiction. In bondage to an abusive partner. In disappointment, because they’ve done everything they can and it’s still not enough. And this phrase comes to mind. DO NOT give control of your life to anything or anyone, because your desire is to make a friend, family member, spouse happy. It doesn’t work. You will walk away hurt, confused and let down.
#2 As a Christ follower, I agree with this statement 100%. When I live my life to please God, I release control of my life to Him and He does with me as He pleases.
Now, back to learning to please Him…
‘Just a few scriptures that I think relate to your ‘pleasing God’ pursuit:
Mic 6:8
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. NIV
Heb 11:5-6
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. NIV
Heb 13:15-16
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess His name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. NIV
Of course it doesn’t necessarily follow that ‘doing good’ to please God will always please people. We have to ‘earnestly seek Him’, ‘walk humbly with Him’, and do what he tells us is ‘just’ and ‘merciful’ regarding other people. Sometimes the ‘needed’ thing is not the ‘wanted’ thing, as I’m sure any parent knows.
Don’t you think the desire to please people is actually more of a pride thing (wanting them to think highly of ME)? If that’s the case then we aren’t really walking HUMBLY with God to be more concerned about pleasing them than Him.
Yet, on the positive side of relationships, sometimes God uses people to communicate how we’re doing with pleasing HIM – since flesh and blood can be a little harder to ignore at times than an invisible Spirit =}.
For the correct balance, I’ve found I just have to keep going back to God’s ‘checklist’(half of which relate to other people) to see how I’m doing in His opinion:
- act justly
- love mercy
- walk humbly with God
- believe He exists
- believe He rewards earnest seekers
- through Christ, offer continuous sacrificial(when we don’t feel like it) praise
- do good (there’s a challenging one to check off! =)
- share with others
Thanks for bringing it all to my attention, and getting me into the Word about it
…a good reminder to reflect on when those inevitable ‘relational’ challenges recur.
D-
ouch. i feel like this is the season i am in…and i think you know some of that. who am i trying to please, and i am always reminded of Galatians 1:10. and very convicted. I have lead my life in a way that i am pushed around by the desire to make everyone happy so i tend to not live my life. Thank you for the reminder to not do that…it is a bonehead thing to do.
Lynse Leanne´s last blog ..The Birmingham Dream Center
You wrote something!!! ****applause****
I love the quote here. I am guilty of trying to please people, make sure everyone is happy, when the reality is that “seeking first His kingdom and all these things will be added” applies here as well. Huge lesson I have recently learned. One too many times, He has set the course, got me started, the Spiritual ADD kicks in and I start chasing the unicorns….this was a good word for me, relinquishing all control to the Lord…..starting……now! Thanks B.
Debs´s last blog ..Not to be morbid…
You know?
i REALLY wish Laz had the time and inclination to write her own blog!
Would give me so much good wisdom to follow while i’m waiting for some of yours
<B
love´s last blog ..Sins of the Fathers? (and Some Mothers!)
Love,
Thanks for valuing my input. Maybe someday after the ‘kids’ are gone (they’re 92 and 88 now, so only God knows how long that will be =),I’ll have time to blog.
Right now we’re on our way to Israel (in Denver with some friends at the moment, but leaving for there tomorrow) for two weeks. So, I’ll probably be out of communication most of that time.
Appreciate your prayers for our safety and fruitfulness in ministry there (and from anyone else who might be ‘listening’ in here too =).
D-
D, you have lots of people praying here for you, Nick and the whole team. Have an amazing time!
We arrived safely and on time, but with little sleep.
It’s 7 PM now and we’re about to load up to go into Jerusalem to see the Old City and then eat before coming home to crash.
Ron just came in and is having trouble with the security system on the van. It won’t start, so maybe we’re not going anywhere after all!
Hopefully help is on the way.
And thanks for the prayers. I got good news while in Philadelphia from my sister that my folks back home are doing better than expected. That was a HUGE relief. Please remember them and my sister too while we’re away.
D-