Overcoming People-Pleasing: Play to an Audience of One

by David Chadwick

This past week, we have been talking about overcoming people-pleasing. Let me remind you where we have been:

1. People make lousy gods. Only God can meet the deepest longings of your heart.

2. Don’t worry about what other people think of you. It keeps you ensnared. Besides, they’re most likely only thinking of themselves.

3. No one has ever erected a statue to a critic. Choose to embrace constructive criticism, but throw away the junk that is meant to steal, kill and destroy.
   

Today’s reminder - play to an audience of One!

Seek only to have God’s approval, not humanity’s applause. Man’s empty praise will leave you having to be filled up day after day with more empty praise. It’s a never-ending cycle and it’s exhausting.

Instead, go to your Daddy in heaven when you need to get filled back up. His tank is endless and what he can fill you up with is lasting and changes you forever.

Paul even says that if he was seeking the praises of people as his life’s goal, he would have never become a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10). The gospel itself is an offensive message to people. It is a message that destroys self-sufficiency and self-idolatry. It’s a message that can only be released by those who play to an audience of One and aren’t looking to get the applause of those around them.

You can’t earn your salvation nor God’s approval. It’s a free gift from him who created and adores you.

You work for God, not man (Colossians 3:23). He is your true boss. You must only desire his “well done,” his positive performance evaluation for your life.

When you seek God’s opinion and his kingdom as your highest priority, the opinions of others don’t greatly matter.

And you become free to live and love, for HIS glory and his glory alone.