Whose Voice Are You Listening To?

"How to Make Anyone Like You"

This was the article title on the cover of a magazine my roommate got in the mail the other day. 

The part of me that is the people pleaser wanted to instantly turn to the page and see what this magic secret was. 

Thankfully, I know better now didn't give this article the time of day. 

Looking back on life, I spent far too many moments of my life trying to please people. 

In middle school, I did everything to be accepted by the popular girls because that is who I wanted to be friends with. 

In high school, I did whatever it took to be noticed by the guys. 

In college, I tried to get the best grades so my parents would accept me and love me more. 

After college, I tried to act like the "perfect" Christian so that others would think I was enough. 

Honestly, I wanted to be anyone else but me. 

I didn't think people would accept me…I was either too big,too thin, too loud, too quiet, too smart, not smart enough, too nice, too selfish..the list goes on and on. 

I let every other voice tell me who I "should" be. 

But here is the truth:

Who I am is a child of God and that is all that matters.

Who I am doesn't need approval from anyone other than Christ. 

I have bad hair days. 

I have bad clothes days. 

I doubt sometimes. 

I sometimes trust people too much. 

I make mistakes. 

I fall…I will continue to fall. 

I don't always get it right. 

I am not the perfect Christian (and never will be).

I'm not always the best friend.

I don't have it all figured out. 

 I am still learning who I am.

I have found myself getting so caught up in Facebook "likes", twitter favorites, twitter retweets, …all because I want to be liked…crazy, I know. 

Who am I trying to impress, God or man? 

It is painful for me to say that "man" has been my answer more than I would like to admit. 

So, it's ok if I only get one Facebook like for this..it's really ok if I don't get any Facebook likes for this. 

God made me and He doesn't make mistakes. He gave me the unique personality that He did. He gave me the mind that tends to want concrete answers. He gave me the heart that gets way too emotional. 

So, the challenge for me is to stop trying to be accepted and liked by all people. The challenge for me is to be ok when I am not picked first in line. The challenge for me is to be ok when others don't like what I have to say. The challenge for me is to listen to only One Voice and One Voice alone…Jesus.  

I will only become the person God wants me to become if I let every other voice fade. 

Whose voice are you listening to? 

Galatians 1:10

"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? "