Seeking God's Approval Brings Lasting Peace

The peace of God is found where the need for man's approval ends.

Philippians 4:4-7

[4] Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad. [5] Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here. [6] Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. [7] Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.

I know the Lord has brought this up several times before, but I feel He wants to revisit it from a new perspective. Today I woke up with a sensitivity to what I consider sacrifices in my life and how they became that way. I have always been a people-pleaser, and because of that, many of my relationships have become very one-sided.

The enemy wants us to feel unworthy or depressed because we spend our lives scratching everyone else's back while our own back is still itching. That's a dangerous place to begin, and it's why we need to pray and ask God to uncover the deeper reason behind our need for man's approval. Seeking God's approval begins with allowing Him to reveal the motives of our hearts.

When you break it down, isn't that the whole premise of people-pleasing? One of my favorite sayings is that pleasing man is incompatible with serving God. Understanding that has made me realize the Lord is warning us to examine our motives and make sure everything we do is rooted in our identity and purpose in Him—not in human approval. Chasing the approval of others becomes a trap that causes us to conform just to avoid rejection and hurt. Before long, it disconnects us from our God-given purpose. It's a scary and slippery slope. Seeking God's approval instead of man's approval brings freedom because our worth is no longer determined by the opinions of others.

The reason the verses above stood out to me is because of the practical way they lead us into a spirit of thankfulness and away from depression and the need for anyone's approval except God's. The best way I've found to do this is through journaling or praying prayers of thanksgiving.

Start by thanking God that you woke up today, then simply keep going. Nothing is too small. Your fingers work. Your eyes can see. You have water to drink. Every single thing you list is a gift from Him.

I honestly believe that after just a few minutes, it becomes almost impossible to stay focused on sadness or discouragement over how people value you when you begin to see how deeply you are loved by the God of the universe.

I understand that some people are walking through situations far more difficult than mine.

Even then, choosing to focus on God's love and the countless gifts He continues to give renews your mind. In those moments of thankfulness, the Lord gives a peace that is beyond understanding. That peace changes your perspective and can usher you into a better day, a better week, and ultimately a better life.

Let thankfulness lead you back into your calling and into a life of seeking God's approval above everything else.

Thank You, Father, for one more day. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

[16] Always be joyful [17] and never stop praying. [18] Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.

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