Are You a People Pleaser?

Courtesy: Trevor Butcher

I know I am ...

All my life I've tried to do things to make my parents proud, impress teachers, win friends, help out co-workers, please bosses and make my husband happy.

People-pleasing seems like as a good thing... After all, I'm working for others. That's a good thing, right?

But really it's a poor way to live.

Every time I give in to trying please others, I start feeling miserable, unhappy, and even resentful.

Ever feel that way? Have you ever wondered why?

Its because you're giving ...





control of your decision-making abilities, your self-worth and emotions to some one else.

Sometimes that person is kind and considerate, and trying to please them is a joy.

But we're all flawed, and sometimes the person is selfish, or worst, is oblivious of all your hard work.

I know from personal experience trying to please someone who doesn't recognize your hard work or scoffs at it can be frustrating and miserable.

So what's the solution?  Only try to please nice people? Or be completely selfish and forget about others?

Umm ... No.

There answer lies in the tendency its self. Why do we want to please? The truth is we were made to be that way.

 But not to please man; we were made to please God.

When God made man, the very sight of creation was pleasing to him. But man succumbed to temptation, that desire to please was turned upside down.

Now we try to please God's creation instead of God.

The apostle Paul put pleasing God over man  at the forefront of his ministry and warned others not

In Thessalonians 2:4 he says,

4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

And again in Thessalonians 2:6

6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.

The prophet Isaiah also warns in Isaiah 2:22...

22 Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils.
    Why hold them in esteem?


 Trying to please God will never leave you frustrated.

Also, strangely enough, when you do what is pleasing to God, you will find favor with others.