Pleasing the World is Meaningless

How's that for some blunt truth? I've recently been reading through 1 Thessalonians and I am loving it, it is so full of simple truths with huge meaning. This chapter hit me over the head because I am so guilty in getting wrapped up in trying to please everyone around me. Not that there's anything wrong with being a "yes" woman, but sometimes it can get extremely overwhelming. In my case, I'll get so worried about pleasing others that I lose grasp on who I truly am as a daughter in Christ.

Sounds pretty intense right?

Verse 4 claims, Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. Pleasing people (the world) is meaningless. Our purpose is to serve our Father and to ultimately do what is pleasing to Him. He knows the desires of our heart, so why would I not trust Him and do what is pleasing to Him, he has a plan for everything after all. Striving to please people leads to a dead end road. Sure it can be rewarding and self-satisfying, but then what? I'm speaking to myself here, but we should all try to strive toward living our lives out for Jesus, not for those surrounding us. Living to please God is fulfilling and satisfying, why settle for anything less?

Another verse that hit home for me was verse 8, We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God's good news but our own lives, too.

I'm not one to share all of my feelings, struggles, hopes, dreams, etc. I'm a "self-kept" kind of girl, I keep to myself until I can't handle it anymore. This is a struggle I've been working on for a while, and I've definitely gotten better at opening up thanks to the Lord's patience and persistence with me (including those around me, too). I've told my testimony to a hand full of people, and after reading verse 8 it got me thinking, why haven't I shared my story with more people?!

Sharing what the Lord has done in our lives is pleasing to Him, and brings Him so much glory! Talk about your trials and how God turned them into triumphs. I'm not the boldest, most outspoken, open human being, which makes it a challenge. However, isn't our purpose on earth to share the good news? I shouldn't hang on to all of the wonderful things the Lord has done in my life, He brought me through tough seasons to bring Himself glory and I am not ashamed to share that with anyone!

What has the Lord done in your life? Have you shared it with the world?

What gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord when he returns? IT IS YOU!

1 Thessalonians 2:19