Guilty as Charged.

I felt like JP was talking directly to me last Tuesday. I am definitely guilty of people pleasing, and often worry way too much about what others think or will think of me.

"Needing approval from others is a trap...when you’re worried about others you are not in control of your life-they are in control of your life...Your life is defined by what others think about you and want from you."

There are numerous examples I could give you, but there is one that impacted my life greatly. About a month before I got married, my fiancé and I starting having a lot of arguments, he started drinking a lot more, and I remember thinking maybe this isn’t "meant to be". I asked a few people if it was normal to have these doubts, never really explaining the full extent of what was going on because I was afraid of what they would think about me, and so they told me it was me it was normal to have cold feet before you get married.

At one point I remember thinking there is no way I could call of this wedding, it would be so embarrassing, what would my family and friends think of me?! What would they say? Surely things will get better once we’re married. I was trapped.

"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe." (Proverbs 29:25)

Fast forward passed a hurtful divorce. I was back in the same place, what are people going to think of me now? How embarrassing to be divorced at 24 years old, less than a year into my marriage, and now he is re-married to someone else living in the same town. I thought I just had to cover any pain I was feeling. I wanted people to see me as strong and confident. I was lying to the world. I was trapped.

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10)

PRAISE GOD he brought me to a place where I want to seek Christ whole heartedly... slowly but surely putting past ways behind me...living to serve Christ and Christ alone...doing things now "not so that others would think much of me- but doing things because I think much of GOD".

Honestly, are you more worried about other's approval or God's?

Praying we think less of ourselves, and more of God. "He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3:30)

I encourage you to spend some time in John 3.

Praying for you all~

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