The Choice to Please God

Every day we face three possible motivations about whom we’re going to please: We can seek to please ourselves; we can seek to please other people; or, we can seek to please God.

But we can’t do all three.

If you live to please yourself, you’ll live a miserable life. In fact, the best way to be unhappy is to spend your life in the pursuit of being happy. If you live primarily for yourself, wanting to please yourself, you never will be pleased.

But then if you live to please others, you may be even more miserable. If you’re a people pleaser, you’ll be really upset if you don’t get enough likes on your Instagram post or if get a little pushback on social media. You’re going to have a very difficult life if that’s the way you live.

The one you should want to please is God. But I have to tell you this. If you choose to please God, not everyone will be pleased. In fact, if you live a godly life and stand for truth, then you will face opposition.

The Bible says that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV). So when you’re living a life that’s pleasing to the Lord, be aware that some people will be very unhappy about it

Yet Jesus made this amazing statement: “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:29 NKJV). I would like to be able to say that I usually do the things that please the Father. But Jesus actually could say, “I always do those things that please Him” (emphasis added).

Let’s make it our aim to live lives that are well-pleasing to God.