Are You Trying To Please God Or Man?

I am reading a great book at the moment.
Actually, I am reading a lot of great books at the moment! One of the (many) blessings in this season is that I have more time to do the things I love, and reading is one of those!
I have set myself a goal of reading 30 books in 2020 and I am already halfway there!

One of the books I’m currently reading is “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. I am only a small way into it, but I already love it!

One line struck me as I read this morning “You can’t take the compliments of men when you stand before God.”
The more I thought about this line, the more it sunk in. I know when I get to Heaven, it will just be me standing before God. Tears well in my eyes when I imagine Him saying to me “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Oh, how my heart wishes to hear those words.

But some days, I get caught up in the applause (or lack of it!) from man. I worry about what people might be saying about me, what they are actually saying, and whether or not they are saying it to my face!

I am was a people pleaser and as words of affirmation are my primary love language, I live for the praises of man. I long to be told I am worthy, appreciated, valued, enough (more than enough!) and loved beyond measure. I want people to like me and I want to feel like I matter!

How I wish I didn’t care what people thought! How I would love to brush off hurtful comments, and not get upset when no comment is made when I think it is deserving!
I place way too much value on what is said (or not said) about me or to me and my day can go from good to bad because of it!

But here’s the thing…..all the complements from man are lovely, but I can’t take them to Heaven to defend myself when I stand before God. I can’t stand there and say “But Phil said I was lovely” or, “Gracie said I was awesome” They may very well say those things on earth, they are but fleeting comments and have no impact on my Eternity.

So I remind myself daily that I am living for an audience of One. As nice as compliments from people may be, it’s what God says of me that has eternal consequences. I remind myself that man’s opinion is only that, their opinion, and it has no bearing on my eternity. Not everyone will like me, and that’s okay (no really Kathy that’s okay!)…God does and I am living my life in obedience to Him, not for the approval of man! And yes, some days that is harder than others!

At the end of the day, what God says about me is all that matters. As long as I am living my life walking in His word and following His plan for my life then that is all the recognition I need.