People Pleasers...

"When we are set free from the bondage of pleasing others,
when we are free from currying others' favor and others' approval....then no one will be able to make us miserable or dissatisfied. And then, if we know we have pleased God, contentment will be our consolation."
~Kay Arthur~

I'd like to comment more on the quote I posted yesterday. I believe once we have been in bondage to always having to please others, it is so easy to slip back into that mental stronghold. We struggle with saying no when it isn't always God's best for us.We think we always have to say yes to everything because were Christians. It's not so. . If we want to please man, we run the risk of being disobedient if it isn't what God has asked of us. It's a daily walk in the Spirit to know the difference.

I still struggle with being in bondage of wanting to please everyone. I must say to the detriment of my own health through the years. I want everyone to like me and if they don't I beat myself up wondering what I did wrong. Maybe I didn't do anything wrong, we just have different personalities. It may not be me at all. I must admit...I am so much better than I ever was in the past..so I see growth in my life. Obsessing about pleasing other people steals any contentment in our life. Like Kay Arthur said in this above quote, when we seek to please God contentment is our consolation. So, instead of striving to please everybody, be all they want you to be, always saying and doing the things we think we should say to please someone...if we look to be pleasing to God and what He wants us to do ...we will not be miserable and dissatisfied. Sounds like the pressure would be off to be perfect or people pleasers.
Hmmmmm...something to think about!

The holidays are upon us. I encourage you to seek God and what His best is for you...make it your gift to Jesus this Christmas to live to please Him with obedient lives, rather than be in bondage of pleasing others. There is freedom and joy in pleasing others when it's what God is leading you to do. Putting on the mind of Christ and pulling down those strongholds of being a people pleaser...brings VICTORY, OBEDIENCE and CONTENTMENT!