Who are you pleasing?

There's this intriguing verse in John's Gospel in which Jesus is speaking about himself, but I submit will work quite nicely for any and all of us. Jesus says, "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."

This is a fine, fine work mantra for those inside ministry and out. I believe we get into more trouble trying to please those around us at work and in our homes than anything else we do. It is my worst problem, amid a myriad of woes.

The world has this wrong. As David Brown once said, the world says, "“Don't worry about growing older or pleasing others. Please yourself."

The world has this wrong. Life isn't about pleasing yourself, it is about pleasing God. It is why we have spiritual disciplines in the first place. We are trying to develop a close relationship with a God who loves us and we're trying to please him -- but not in a legalistic manner.

The issue is what our motivation is. It shouldn't be to earn our salvation, because we can't. It shouldn't be to show off to others, because that is pride. It shouldn't be so that we don't feel guilty or to make God love us, because God already loves us, accepts us (if we have received Jesus as our Saviour) and has forgiven us.

 

Instead, it is a simple declaration. I can't do anything without Christ. Anything. But I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Everything I do should be about pleasing God.

 

As Stephen Curtis Chapman wrote, "So many different voices call, and I try hard to please them all; I run in circles 'till I fall So I'm falling on my knees and praying

 

Please, Please Please only You , only You

Please, Please, Please take my heart, and make it true

Let everything I say and everything I do

Please, Please only you

Please only you