Caught in a Trap?

​Have you ever gotten caught in a trap? You did not realize what was happening, but you knew this was not right.

​What is a trap? A trap is something that stops you, catches you, steals your mobility and purpose and peace of mind; delivers you into someone else's control; and in the worst-case scenarios, the victim experiences pain and injury, ongoing captivity, and even death.

One of the best examples of a trap is called “people-pleasing.” So many people spend so much time trying to keep everyone happy that they remain blind to the effect this has on their hearts. People pleasing creates an idol of people’s approval of yourself. Over time, believers train their hearts to think that their greatest need is not our Savior but people’s approval. When I desire other people’s lives and when other people pressure me, I miss what God wants me to do with my life.

Think of Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples and one of Jesus’ closest friends. Peter had spent three or so years with Jesus. Peter had seen Jesus perform miracles. Peter had seen Jesus walk on water. Peter himself had walked on water with Jesus. When Jesus gets arrested and Peter is suddenly forced to admit that he knows Jesus and upset the accusers, or be a crowd pleaser and say, “I don’t know the guy,”  Peter denies knowing Jesus. He gave in.

You will miss what God has called you to do if you focus on what others want you to do. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, “Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.” (NLT)

What can we do? Change the way you think. In other words, “the way you change your life is to change your mind. The way to change your life is to change the way you think.” Start today thinking like this: “The bigger God is in your life, the smaller people are in your life. The bigger you make people in your life, the smaller God is.” Which one is the most important?

Make Every Day Count!

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