Sally Fields And The Need For Approval

"Our purpose is to please God not please people. 
He alone examines the motives of our hearts." 

I Thessalonians 2:4b

Recently God has been speaking to me about the need-to-please-people part of who I am.  When I receive the same verses or topic several times from different sources in a short period of time,  I know God is trying to get my attention.  So, today when I read Faith Barista's Post on perfectionism I was drawn in  by her Love Dare.  Among others things, she challenged readers to stop making decisions based on other people's opinions of you. 

Okay, God, # 4 in 2 days.  You have my attention. In my prayers for less of me and more of Him, I could hear God whisper lovingly, "What about this desire for everyone's approval?"   "I AM all  you need." 

It comes from deep inside.....this desire to please man to gain the approval of others.  Remember the Sally Fields comment when she got her Oscar?  They like me, they really like me.  I confess I have felt that sometimes.  I think most of us desire approval, but at what cost?

God has put me on an amazing journey the past few weeks and I find I want to hold back (hard to believe, right?) from speaking all God has put on my heart, so I have kept mostly to myself the supernatural adventure He has gifted me.  I expect I am afraid of what people will think or say about me, but "who I am needs to reflect only one thing~ God's unconditional love for me". (Faith Barista)  If I am going to be obedient to God that means I take off the man pleasing hat and put on the "only God"  one. "  It can be risky if are looking for approval from others.

 

The "only God" hat we wear keeps us in relationship with Him and His purpose/anointing for us.  We respond in obedience by opening our arms to His will.  It may mean holding things close to our heart, or it may mean opening our heart to the world.   Both can be used to bring God glory, as long as we are wearing the right hat.   Most importantly we remember that God rejoices when who we are reflects who God created us to be. 

I expect there will always be a little Sally Fields in me, but I pray that I mostly keep my eyes on Jesus and off the need for approval from others.  I do desire to hear some day, "I delight in you my child.  In you I am well pleased."