Your are not obliged of to please everybody

"It is dangerous to be afraid of men [...]." Proverbs 29:25

 

If you constantly worry about what others think, you are caught in an emotional trap. Not only do you not have to please everyone, but you can not even. It is an illusion to believe that to be happy, you must be appreciated and approved of all. This is totally false.
There is no harm in asserting or defending what you think is right.

Even God can not please everyone, and only a fool would try to do what is impossible even to God. Jesus said that his only purpose was to be pleasing to his Father (John 8:29).

So what to deal with difficult people to satisfy ? For starters, you do not have to yield constantly. It is not because you are a Christian that you must bow before everybody and let you manipulate. It is written in Romans 12: 2 : "Do not let the world around you flow into its mold".

The truth is that no one can put pressure on you without your consent. If you feel overwhelmed by the expectations of others, it is because you will. If you feel you are being controlled or manipulated, you accept it.

Nothing obliges you ! There is no harm in asserting or defending what you think is right. Many Christians are afraid to say what they think. They find it more spiritual to be silent and accept everything. But God does not ask you to be a doormat - and he does not want you to be a chicken.

A reflection for today

In what ways can you assert yourself and avoid compromising yourself as a Christian ? Have some of your decisions been dictated more by the concern for the opinions of others than those of God ? What were the consequences ?

Rick Warren
 
Source (The Thought of the Day)