A People Pleaser's Plea

I'm a people pleaser. Sometimes to the point that I make myself miserable trying to make others happy. But no matter how hard I try, somebody is always unhappy. Because no matter how much energy I put into pleasing others, I can't please everyone. (Even as I write this, I don't think I fully get it...)

I think this will always be something I struggle with. Although I want to please my parents, family, and friends, I have to realize it isn't the most important thing I could ever do. The most important thing I could ever do is to please my Heavenly Father. His opinion matters the most.

Sometimes people reject our tries to make them happy. They make hurtful comments, question your motives, and take advantage of your compliant attitude, but it's okay. Somehow, we just have to let it go.

The truth is, I try... Really hard. Sometimes too hard. Sometimes so hard I only hurt myself. But God sees my tries, my failures, and my shortcomings, and says it's okay. If only people could do the same thing. But at the end of the day, God is who I most want to please -  not other people.

So while my tries to please others may be rejected now, I know God looks down and sees a heart trying to do what is right. He sees my attempts as success and my failures as lessons. He wants me to keep my heart in the right place and keep trying. He doesn't want me to let others take advantage of me, but he doesn't want me to harden my heart either. It's a fine balance that I have not mastered, but maybe one day I can be a little better. But until then, I will strive to work for my God and not for men.

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men."

                                                                                  -Colossians 3:23