Who am I pleasing?

Galatians 1:10

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Every person who reads this small devotional must ask themselves a great question. It is the question that Paul answered concerning his own ministry. Who am I pleasing? Do I seek to please men or God? Which one? We must learn that the two are not compatable or agreeable. They are incongruous. If I seek to please men, I will forget to only please the Lord. If I concern myself with only pleasing my Savior, I shall not be so anxious about making every one pleased and happy. If my ways please the Lord, even my enemies shall be at peace with me! Paul was defending the gospel that he had preached to the Galatians, and wanted to confirm that it was nothing he had received of men. He did not even consult with the inner circle of the apostles immediately after his conversion. He received the gospel by the revelation of Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. That is all he preached! He did not confer with flesh and blood! His only duty was to reveal Christ, and preach His name to the heathen. The Lord had separated him from his mother’s womb for this purpose. He was to please the Lord! That was all! And after all, that is all we are to do—we are to please the Lord.

And now, my brother or sister, your life will be of much simpler and honest temperament if you will seek to do only one thing. If you will seek to please your Lord, you will be saved from many an unnecessary trial, frustration, and heartache. Others will know that you are pleasing the Lord only. And you will have peace in your heart that your aim and objective in life is in accordance with His will. Let us thank the Lord that He has made it simple. I could not please all people even if I exerted all my effort and expended all my intelligence. It can’t be done! You can’t please everyone! Don’t try! Stop trying! Just please the Lord alone and all will be well.

“Dear Lord, we thank you for the lesson you have briefly taught us this day. Let us examine our motives, and let us discover who we are striving to please. And if it is not the Lord, may that be corrected. For we know that our duty, responsibility, and calling is to please our Savior. May we not worry about others. May we love others with kindness, gentleness, and consideration. Help us always to respect others and seek their wellbeing and welfare. But may the utmost goal of our life be to please the Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”