"You can fire..but you've got no bullets"

Other peoples opinions and approvals.. 

We all look for it in one way or another and if you don't think you do... you're kidding yourself. I feel that its only natural to seek mans approval, whether your a Christian or not - we all want to be accepted by everyone for who we are and what we do. 

However, with all this worldly chaos clouding our judgement I wonder where Gods opinion of us fits in there. Will the acceptance of Jim at the office get you to eternity with Christ? I don't think God will say "Oh, Jim approves?  Well, come on in! Enter into your rest."  Nope, that's not going to happen.  

So if that's the case then why does it matter so much that we seek to impress people who, really, in the end...won't matter? Why put forth all that effort for something that will whither away? 

Now, I'd be lying if I said I've got this whole thing under control.. I struggle with seeking mans approval on a daily basis. But lately my conscience has been pricked and I begin to wonder why it matters so much to me. Why not focus on what God thinks of something I'm saying or doing?  I could have saved myself a lot of "uh-oh"s had I merely thought about that before saying/doing something.

Do you ever ask yourself why you take hard road when God's way is so much simpler and easier and far more beneficial than anything else? It's so nonsensical and yet time and time again we take that same road of thought where we elevate mans opinion above a Holy God. Mind boggling. 


Anyway, this brings me to my challenge for myself for the remainder of this week. It is to stop and really ask myself "Would God want me to do/say/think this?" and really try and listen to what He says instead of what I say. Because if I'm hearing my "yes" more than His "no" I then spend the remainder of my time justifying how I'm right. That never ends in my favor..

Bottom line - God is all that Matters.