Perspective

For the first time, I am writing this post right now.  I have several written and partially edited, but today I feel led to write this and get it out.  It won't be polished, but I have faith that it will be the right words for someone.
All my life, I have been a people-pleaser.  The worst punishment I could get was to hear my parents say they were disappointed in me.  Those words cut deeply.  Conversely, hearing someone (especially my Dad) say they were proud of me lifted me up in ways nothing else could.  This is still true today, but I am learning to fight it.  In this world, fully living like a Christian is frowned upon by so many people.  I still want people to like me, but I am learning it is more important for God to like me.  He will always love me, but His approval of my attitude and actions is most important.
If we only care about what others think, we will be disappointed. People's opinions shift like sand, but what God says will always be true.  If we rely on what people think of us, we will live in a state of nervousness and possible depression.  Caring about God's opinion of us frees us to focus on the truly important matters of life.
The Bible has much to say about pleasing God rather than man.  One verse I really love is Proverbs 16:7.  "When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."  What a cool perspective to have:  When God approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.  (The Message version.)  As long as we keep the importance on what God thinks of our actions, we don't have to worry about others' reactions.
My prayer today, that I haven't been able to stop thinking is, "God, please bless those who like me as well as those who don't.  You love us all the same."  What would the world look like if we stopped caring what people thought of us, and looked only to God for approval?  What if we saw someone who thought the opposite of us, and asked God to bless them?