Galatians 1
March 23, 2022
“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (v10)
Paul contrasts trying to win the approval of man with living for the approval of God. We cannot, at the same time, be both people-pleasers and servants of Christ. This was one of the first lessons the Lord taught me when I surrendered my life to Him in high school. My tendency, up until then, was to care too much what people thought of me, and to try to manage their perception of me. The Lord convicted me of this, though, and called me to resign from my image management job and trust Him with my identity and reputation. And what peace and freedom that led to, as I learned to rest in Him and His approval.
Father God, Your opinion of me is ultimately the only one that counts! Thank You, that in Christ, I am Your beloved child - and therefore, loved by You - no matter what anyone else thinks of me. Forgive me for the times I still slip into caring too much what others might think of me. Renew in me such gratitude for the gospel (and my identity in You) that my greatest desire is to live for You and Your approval alone!
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
