Have you ever considered how many people you try to please in any given week? It might be your employer, your co-workers, your spouse, or perhaps your friends. Even when we are not consciously thinking about it, we often fall into the habit of being people-pleasers. But how often do we stop and ask ourselves: am I pleasing God?
In 1 Thessalonians 4:1, Paul writes to faithful Christians, urging and encouraging them to live in a way that pleases God. Notice that pleasing God is not based on feelings, personal opinions, or inner impressions. The Thessalonians learned how to live through instruction delivered by inspired men. In the same way, Christians today find guidance for daily living in the revealed Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Pleasing God is not a one-time decision, but a continual walk in His Word that He has given to us.
Faithfulness is demonstrated in daily choices; how we speak, how we treat others, and how we conduct ourselves. As we seek to live at peace with all people, we must ensure that we are doing so according to the standard set in God’s Word. The question we must ask ourselves each day is: am I pleasing God? The only way to answer that question is to compare our lives to God’s Word and honestly examine where we stand.
Josh Schutkowski