Galatians 1:10

A couple of days ago I started reading in the book of Galatians. I wasn't really starting reading with any thoughts that God had something to say to me in it. But God often has other ideas when we dig into His Word.

It's something I'm learning to appreciate about God and about studying His Word. No matter how well we think we know it, God still teaches us more and speaks to us in different ways through His Word. The more time I spend in His Word, the more I see and hear. It really is something that keeps me coming back.

Anyways, back to Paul's letter to the church at Galatia. Paul jumps right into His reason for writing this letter - reminding the Galatian Christians of the gospel and calling them back to it. At the end of this comes a verse that jumped off the page at me. Galatians 1:10 says: "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."

I tend to be a people pleaser - if there's something I can do that will make or keep another person happy or gain their approval, I'll do it more often than not. So when this verse jumped off the page at me, I knew I needed to listen to what God was saying to me through it.

Paul is reminding his readers that following God doesn't mean we will always be approved of by others. The gospel message and the sacrifice it requires won't necessarily make that possible. We can't be trying to win the approval of others as followers of Christ.

God's approval is the approval we should be seeking in our lives. His approval should be our goal. God's approval is what matters. This is what Paul is saying in this verse - that He is seeking God's approval above that of any men.

What about you?
Whose approval are you seeking?
Do you need to make changes in whose approval you are seeking?