Galatians 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Today’s verse is a hard one for me. I am a people pleaser and have to continuously remind myself that I don’t need their approval, only God’s. And I am certain I am not the only one who needs to hear this verse today.
Paul’s words come after he has defended his right to be called an apostle and defense of the gospel message he preaches. Knowing what we know about Paul and his overall influence (he wrote the majority of the New Testament), it is amazing to think he had to defend himself and the words he spoke. But we know the enemy is always trying to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) and anytime he can drive a wedge between believers, he does. And that is exactly what the enemy was doing when Paul wrote these words.
Why does it matter to us? Do Paul’s words and his defense of the gospel have any bearing on our walk today?
This verse, as well as the ones leading up to it, were written by Paul about himself and his own ministry, but they show us that even greats like Paul faced challenges when sharing their faith. But even more importantly, it reminds us that we need to examine our own motivation and service. Are we doing things for the approval of others? Or are we living a life pleasing to God, seeking to do His will and not our own? It is easy to fall into the trap of looking to others for affirmation and approval, but it also enslaves us and limits what we can do for Him. We have been freed and have no need to seek out worldly recognition.
Let that be your prayer today – that we focus on Him and His approval rather than applause and affirmation from people. We are not meant to be people pleasers. We are not meant to compromise our faith and devotion. We are God pleasers, loved and cherished, accepted for who we are, not what we have said or done.
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