People Pleasing
Dear friends, If you are reading this, you are interested in becoming my friend. If you stop reading, it is because we aren’t connecting. This is so basic yet is a challenge which attacks my heart continually. Why? Because I want people to like me. As a child I had a deep need to be wanted. I was not one of those children who wanted to show off for others, but still wanted to be noticed and liked. With childish understanding, I learned that when you behaved as other people asked you to, people liked you. I learned to hide my own feelings and outwardly obey others, be agreeable, then people would like me. I would like to say that this strategy, which was untenable, was thrown over as I matured, but it really was not. I continued to allow people to direct my life. I obeyed their wishes because I thought it earned me their favor. A desire to please people is an idol which will demand obedience. This was the greater obedience...