eDevotion
Encouragement for your daily
walk with God
Every Christ
follower must answer a basic question on a regular basis: Who am I ultimately trying to please, God or man? The answer to
that question has consequences. If the answer is, I want to please God, then it will lead to confidence and peace. If
the answer is, I want to please men,
then it will lead to anxiety and frustration.
The apostle
Paul probably knew this better than anyone. First, it needs to be mentioned
that he penned a verse in the New Testament about it [1 Thessalonians 2:4]. But
even more than that, he endured extreme hardships in life because he desired to
please God by spreading the gospel to unreached people. He wrote about some of
those hardships to the Corinthians Christ followers. During his time as a
Christ follower, he had been shipwrecked, stoned, beaten, often without food
and more! [2 Corinthians 11:25-27]
In the midst
of his trying times, Paul remained confident, knowing that God’s grace was
sufficient for him [2 Corinthians 12:9]. He understood that when the object of
our motivation isn’t Jesus [to please God], we get off course, and the side
effects make us weary and frustrated at best. How wonderful to know that God is
aware of our motives—He sees right through us—and loves us anyway! That’s just
one more reason to please God!
For we speak as messengers
who have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose
is to please God, not people. He is the one who examines the motives of our
hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4
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