"Am I now trying to win the favour and approval of men or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? Galatians 1:10 The Amplified Study Bible
Paul continually sought the approval of God. He didn't base his decisions on the opinions of other people. He aimed at pleasing God. And so should we.
The world around us is continually trying to put us in a box, in other words trying to compartmentalise us. They feel that we have to belong to this or that and if we are not careful, they will have their way and we'll end up being what we are not led to be. If a person is called to be a Sunday school teacher, then God will open that particular door at sometime in that person's life. To be placed into the role of a carpenter when you're a motor mechanic is a receipt for disaster. A round hole with a square peg comes to mind.
Sometimes, we have to be careful about the burden people place on us. Some people may want us to do a particular thing, but when we feel that it is not the right thing for us to do, they can put a 'trip' on us, making us feel full of guilt, rather like we have let them down, big time. Be careful to avoid this.
If you set out to please God and to seek His approval and not man's, then at some time, you will come up against opposition. All through life, men and woman of God have to make decisions about their faith that are not pleasing to other people. Peter and John came up against this pressure in Acts 4:18-20. They were forbidden to speak about the name of Jesus. However, Peter knew what he was supposed to do and told them, 'For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.'
Winning the favour of man is not what we, as Christians are called to do. We need to be obedient to people in charge of us and various authorities, of course. But not if it contradicts our faith. We cannot water down our faith to please man, no matter what the cost.
God is calling you to be yourself, not a copy of someone else. God created you as you, not another person. We can't model ourselves on anyone but Jesus. He is our model and our mentor. He is our life and He knows you through and through and loves every part. His word to you today is, 'Seek the approval of God, not man.'
For your diary Monday 14th June, A Study of Joseph begins for a few days
Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard
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