The Approval of Others
One of my downfalls is seeking the approval of others - of caring too much what others might think about the decisions I make / of wanting someone to tell me what THEY think I should do because I feel like an objective opinion is better sometimes.
Granted, I seek this advice and approval from spiritually like-minded friends, articles and books by Christian articles, etc, but the main source of my guidance and approval should be the Bible / the Lord.
Today, with social media and our lives on display, it's easy for everyone we know to know every little move we make if we choose to put our business out there. For me personally, with big decisions I've made, I've always thought "What would other people think about this decision?"
-choosing the college I went to
-choosing the grad school I went to
-what city I choose to live in
-buying my house
-the job I choose to have / where I choose to work
(just some examples)
While it's great to seek godly advice and read Bible-based literature, the main thing I should be doing is seeking God's guidance and letting Him lead me to do what His will is. He has a unique plan for MY life, and I will not find the answers for my life in the situations of others.
My friend Ashland always tells me "Do what makes YOU happy - you are the only one that has to live with your decisions."
My friend Grace told me just the other day, "You have to go off of what the Lord is telling you to do. Outside of that it's YOUR life."
And I knew these things, but boy, is it great to have friends who will constantly remind me of such truth!! Friends who will point me to Christ when my mind is getting bombarded. I am involved in lots of things, see many people all the time, and everyone has input and an opinion. It's important to stay focused, no matter how much you respect the opinions of these people.
The Lord loves you and wants His best for you more than anyone else in the world does.
Hello, He CREATED you! Of course He KNOWS you better than anyone...and has a perfect plan for you.
I also have gotten really caught up in looking to articles written by Christian counselors, speakers, pastors, etc. That's great, and God puts those people here to help guide us, but that should never be my first go-to when I need answers. They might not even have the answers I need specifically for MY life! They don't know me at all - the Lord knows me better than I know myself.
There's no recipe for success - God has a different plan for everyone, and your plan might look odd to some people in your life, and that's okay! Follow Him where He leads you. Let your heart be open to the opportunities He has, and if they seem sketchy or hard at first, have faith that He knows what He's doing. Because He does!
Pray, pray, pray! The closer you are with God, the more in-tune you will be with His Spirit and able to hear from Him.
Looking around, you'll lose your focus; looking to God, you'll be provided with direction, even if it doesn't seem like it. Keep pressing into Him and asking Him to reveal truth, make a way, provide clarity, and get rid of the things in your life you don't need.
*Constantly reminding myself of all of this.*
Granted, I seek this advice and approval from spiritually like-minded friends, articles and books by Christian articles, etc, but the main source of my guidance and approval should be the Bible / the Lord.
Today, with social media and our lives on display, it's easy for everyone we know to know every little move we make if we choose to put our business out there. For me personally, with big decisions I've made, I've always thought "What would other people think about this decision?"
-choosing the college I went to
-choosing the grad school I went to
-what city I choose to live in
-buying my house
-the job I choose to have / where I choose to work
(just some examples)
While it's great to seek godly advice and read Bible-based literature, the main thing I should be doing is seeking God's guidance and letting Him lead me to do what His will is. He has a unique plan for MY life, and I will not find the answers for my life in the situations of others.
My friend Ashland always tells me "Do what makes YOU happy - you are the only one that has to live with your decisions."
My friend Grace told me just the other day, "You have to go off of what the Lord is telling you to do. Outside of that it's YOUR life."
And I knew these things, but boy, is it great to have friends who will constantly remind me of such truth!! Friends who will point me to Christ when my mind is getting bombarded. I am involved in lots of things, see many people all the time, and everyone has input and an opinion. It's important to stay focused, no matter how much you respect the opinions of these people.
The Lord loves you and wants His best for you more than anyone else in the world does.
Hello, He CREATED you! Of course He KNOWS you better than anyone...and has a perfect plan for you.
I also have gotten really caught up in looking to articles written by Christian counselors, speakers, pastors, etc. That's great, and God puts those people here to help guide us, but that should never be my first go-to when I need answers. They might not even have the answers I need specifically for MY life! They don't know me at all - the Lord knows me better than I know myself.
There's no recipe for success - God has a different plan for everyone, and your plan might look odd to some people in your life, and that's okay! Follow Him where He leads you. Let your heart be open to the opportunities He has, and if they seem sketchy or hard at first, have faith that He knows what He's doing. Because He does!
Pray, pray, pray! The closer you are with God, the more in-tune you will be with His Spirit and able to hear from Him.
Looking around, you'll lose your focus; looking to God, you'll be provided with direction, even if it doesn't seem like it. Keep pressing into Him and asking Him to reveal truth, make a way, provide clarity, and get rid of the things in your life you don't need.
*Constantly reminding myself of all of this.*
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