Worthy: 10 Mindful Moments to Bring Peace to Your DaySample

Freedom From People-Pleasing

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. GALATIANS 1:10 NIV

God calls us to be people-lovers, not people-pleasers. We can love people wholeheartedly without losing ourselves in the process. Chronic people-pleasers tend to have these traits:

• Deeply struggle with saying no

• Pretend to agree with things you don’t really agree with

• Take on full responsibility for how others feel

• Overburden themselves to be liked and accepted

Chances are, if you’re a people-pleaser, you are a deeply kind and empathetic person. And yet, you are also inherently worthy of respect regardless of what you have to offer. The issue with people-pleasing and a lack of healthy boundaries is that it is fear disguised as a sacrifice—fear of what someone might think about you, rejection, or fear that others won’t value you outside of your performance.

On the other hand, genuine love exists from a place of choice. When we choose from a reactive state of fear and image control, we’re likely not taking the time to think objectively about what’s best for everyone involved—including ourselves. Practice pausing long enough to realign with your convictions and remember that God has called you to live in the spirit of freedom (II Corinthians 3:17).

AFFIRMATION:

I can love people wholeheartedly while staying in touch with my convictions and values.