Approval Addiction pt. 1

I got this title from a book I've been reading by Joyce Meyer, called Approval Addiction: Overcoming Your Need To Please Everyone. It's an issue I've struggled with for almost all of my life...

I never really had to confront the issue until I got saved, because now I'm surrendering to the will of God not the will of others. My focus in life has changed to please God, not to please others.

This morning I was reading and came across this passage in Ezekiel ...

Ezekiel 2:3-8 (The Message)

3-7 He said, "Son of man, I'm sending you to the family of Israel, a rebellious nation if there ever was one. They and their ancestors have fomented rebellion right up to the present. They're a hard case, these people to whom I'm sending you—hardened in their sin. Tell them, 'This is the Message of God, the Master.' They are a defiant bunch. Whether or not they listen, at least they'll know that a prophet's been here. But don't be afraid of them, son of man, and don't be afraid of anything they say. Don't be afraid when living among them is like stepping on thorns or finding scorpions in your bed. Don't be afraid of their mean words or their hard looks. They're a bunch of rebels. Your job is to speak to them. Whether they listen is not your concern. They're hardened rebels.

God has CALLED us to be his ambassadors.
Whether we are called to the pulpit, the stage, the classroom, or the boardroom, the light of God should be shining through us. Our job is to do what He has sent us to do and if people agree/disagree with it, that is none of our concern.

Personally, I have always feared being a disappointment to my family, being an outcast amongst my peers, losing friends, etc. Learning to let all that go, being true to myself and most importantly to the intention I was created for is going to be a looooooonnnnnggggg road .... but I'm ready for it.