When You Can't Seem to Please Anyone, John 8:29 | Debbie Taylor Williams

Do you ever feel like you can’t please anyone? Or at least, you can’t please someone you want to please? Maybe it’s a co-worker, spouse, parent, child, or friend. You do your best, but it seems they’re never satisfied.

Trying to please people who are never pleased can cause us to feel defeated and drained. Unless we keep in mind that we can’t please everybody, and we focus on pleasing the most important person – our Heavenly Father. Jesus models doing that even when others were disappointed in Him. For instance, the disciples were no doubt shockingly disappointed when Jesus didn’t resist being crucified. Martha and Mary were disappointed when Jesus delayed coming to their sick brother’s side. John 8:29 explains Jesus’s position. “He (the Father) who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” No, we can’t always please others. But we can follow Christ’s example of pleasing our Heavenly Father.

Following are some of the ways Jesus pleased the Father. Which are you already doing? Which do you want to begin doing?

Jesus used Scripture to stand against Satan’s temptations. We can do that.
Jesus shared His Father’s kingdom principles, how to be forgiven, and how to be saved. We can do that.
Jesus was sensitive to others and reached out to them. We can do that.
Jesus looked up in prayer and thanked His Father for hearing Him. We can do that.
Jesus prayed before He made decisions. We can do that.
Jesus followed His Father’s leading rather than doing things on His own initiative. We can do that.

Heavenly Father, as Jesus was PLEASING to You, help us please You.

Looking for some more resources to deepen your relationship with God? Click HERE to check out the books and Bible studies written by Debbie. You can also access free online Bible studies by clicking HERE.