Galatians 1:10-12
Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or court favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn’t bother being Christ’s slave. Know this—I am most emphatic here, friends—this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism. I didn’t receive it through the traditions, and I wasn’t taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the Message directly from Jesus Christ.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
The day was miserable. Torrential rain was falling, and I found myself in the parking lot at Walmart, soaked to the gills. My grandmother Polly was at her beauty shop appointment, and I was grocery shopping for her in the interim (knowing full well that there was every chance that when I returned to Walmart an hour later to do our shopping, I would bump into her there with her dear friend Ruby!). I got so wet that when I took my grandmother’s groceries home and put them away, I had to stick my pants in the clothes dryer! This was one of the days that my 90-something grandmother had a long list of ailments and issues…and suggested in several ways that I was not helping her enough. I felt like the world was caving in on me, and I was extremely frustrated and weary.
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I slid into a parking space and sat behind the wheel, wondering what to do. I said to God, “What do I do?” There was no one I could ask for advice…I had exhausted my husband, and he admitted that this was new territory for him – and he didn’t really have helpful solutions. My mother would “advise” me – mostly that everything would all be okay, and I could do this! There didn’t seem to be a single person on the planet who truly understood how I felt and what I needed to do next. As I prayed, God said to me, “What would you tell another person in your shoes?” He reminded me that I was documenting our journey in a blog designed to help others realize they were not alone in the “Sandwich Generation.” So why couldn’t I harness this “information” to help myself?
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In this moment, I learned a valuable lesson that has guided me many times since. Rather than depend on the opinions or “advice” of others, we often need to stop, pray, and let God guide and guard us. He may send us to a trusted human for encouragement or wisdom borne out of experience. Or God may direct us to dig deeply into scripture. Or…He may simply give us the answer! The point is that we need to get our guidance and directives straight from God!
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Everyone has an opinion, it seems. And I will tell you that I spent too many years trying to please others – even as I did what I thought I should to please God and serve Him with faith and obedience. The truth is…you cannot do both! On the rare occasion that man’s ideas and opinions line up with God’s, we tend to grow complacent and think that this approach will work all the time! But often, there will be at least a tinge of selfishness or arrogance in the attitudes of human beings – even those who claim to love and serve God with their whole heart. And we are likely to end up fitting in with others while we disappoint our Heavenly Father.
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Our relationship to God does not have room for a popularity contest. We should focus solely on pleasing Him! If you are striving to fit in, be part of a tribe, belong to a certain group – or be popular – stop immediately! Spend some time with God and ask Him to show you where you belong…and what next steps to take!Â
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You are not alone! God is with you! As you step out in faith and follow His lead, you will see that you had the perfect “Advisor” all along. I cannot tell you that every day will be filled with roses and rainbows…or that you will not still struggle with your desire to fit in with the group and make everyone happy. But I can tell you that God will bless your efforts and give you a sense of peace and purpose. And if you find yourself in the Walmart parking lot not knowing what to do next, call me! We will say a prayer together and ask God to show us both how to proceed. Alleluia!
©2024 Debbie Robus
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