The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
~ Psalm 118:6
I don't know about anyone else, but most of the time that this verse comes to my mind I take it to mean something along the lines of not having to be afraid of what people might do to harm me or to prevent me from doing what God wants, but rarely have I applied it to the concept of being a slave to the opinions of others. What does it matter what others do or try to do when the Lord is on my side? That includes not having to be afraid of disapproval nor being motivated by their approval. I don't have to be afraid of pleasing or displeasing anyone but God. There is a great freedom in understanding this. When I surrender my will to His and walk according to what He has called me to, then the pressure of performance can fade away, because I know that He will provide all the grace necessary to do it. Willingness to do what He wants gets the A+, His power provides the answer and fills in the blanks, and praise or condemnation from anyone else no longer plays a part.
Lord, help me to remember that serving You is not about approval or praise from others, including other Christians, and that I don't have to be motivated, hindered or distracted by fear of not receiving that approval as long as I stay submitted to You. Thank You for the grace available to do what You have called me to do today, and may Your will, Your pleasure and Your glory be my total motivation. Amen.
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