I Give Up People-Pleasing

Day 29 of Lenten Devotional Series

Guest Post by Trudy Chelf Harden, Broadway United Methodist Church

This Lent Season I chose to give up "People Pleasing".....I choose to please God only! The scripture verse below explains why!

Since I'm in the retirement season of my life and this is my final act, I gotta get it right! All my life I've been in the people pleasing business. All my work environments since I graduated from business college in 1966 have required me to deal with the public. I have worked behind a teller window at a bank, behind a desk as manager of a large apartment complex, trying to please employees and residents all at the same time. The hardest job I ever had was working side by side with my late husband running our own business. I not only had to please all our customers I had to please my husband 24/7..... I had trouble finding a scripture for that one. Add pleasing my blended families on top of this, it's a wonder I am sane enough to write this.

Being the codependent person that I am, pleasing people always came easy for me. Even though I knew it was impossible to please all the people all the time, I gave it my best shot! The sad news is I didn't always please God. I've taken the 50 hours Stephen Ministry training class through my church and I learned about boundaries, so I know what to do....However this one is a real challenge for me....but with God's help and the prayers of those I love I know I can do this! I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!

As a first time author, I set goals and depended on God and the Holy Spirit for knowledge and wisdom. I prayed more, worried less, especially what other people thought or said that I didn't think was coming from God. I surrounded myself with healthy Christians and Godly people who saw the greatness in me that I didn't see.

I don't believe we as Christians should retire, but I do believe God's gives us a license to slow down a bit, use our time wisely and make our last days on earth really count for Him!

Thank you Lord for the joy, happiness and joy I am experiencing today! Thank you for speaking to me through your holy word found in Eccl: 2-26, and giving me the strength and courage to put you first, because I get it now, Lord. You are my boss and I work for you, Lord ! I strive to always please you first, knowing I don't have to worry about pleasing everyone else! It's all about you, Lord, and the cross! I thank you, Lord for helping me share my journey of grief and loss thru my book! Thank you for blessing my handy work! I give you all the honor and the glory! I pray this in the precious name of Jesus🙏Amen