Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. —Romans 12:2
Being pleasing—being someone who matters, who belongs, who is favored, liked, popular, fawned over, and admired—has become a global pastime, if not an obsession. . . .
Pleasing others to gain favor or preference has driven millions of dollars in cosmetic surgery, social media campaigns, brand management, and products we reach for every day without even thinking about it. Endlessly chasing approval and affirmation isn’t the exception; it’s the rule. And the same angst that drives us to secure belonging and acceptance through choosing the right words, posting the right things on social media, doing what’s widely accepted, and being the most likable versions of ourselves accompanies us into our lives in Christ. Left unchallenged, this angst leaves us limping along—lacking the joy, hope, peace, assurance, and transformation we expect to experience as believers. A worldly means of favor was never meant to deliver an otherworldly means of grace.
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When Strivings Cease by Ruth Chou Simons. Used by permission of Harper Collins Christian Publishing.
www.harpercollinschristian.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible ®. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible ® and CSB ® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Make it Personal
Pray that God would help you let go of the need for acceptance from others and create in you a desire to please Him first and foremost.