“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Galatians 1.10 NKJV) (emphasis added).
The surest way for us to completely miss out on God’s purpose for our lives is to busy ourselves with distractions. Many times God allows seasons of difficulty in our lives, which grow and mature us. These times may seem frustrating because we feel like they have nothing to do with our purpose; but if these struggles are ordained by God, they do have significance. However, I don’t want to focus on the God-appointed circumstances in our lives; I want to talk about the flesh-appointed circumstances in our lives.
The Tree of Knowledge has two sides – Good and Evil. The fruit from this tree can be obviously bad, but it can also be deceptively good. It is very easy for us to pluck a fruit from this tree and consume it because in our minds we are achieving a good fruit or a “good work.” But if that fruit is not rooted in God’s heart and plan, it is evil no matter how tasty it seems.
Christians wear themselves thin because we are harvesting good fruit that are not a part of our specifically designed destiny. We are serving idols that have replaced God’s purpose in our lives. An idol is anything–good or bad–that consumes our devotion more than God. I believe the number one cause of this sin is due to the need to please others, not God.
We make decisions based on what will look good to people and what seems “appropriate” to us, instead of what the Holy Spirit is leading us to do. But I have learned from experience that what God has planned for our lives usually doesn’t make sense until His glory fills our faith-choices and we finally see all the puzzle pieces fall into place. This takes time and we must wait!
Before we make any decisions or take any actions, we need to ask ourselves, “Is this fruit rooted in the Tree of Life?” Is our step based on faith in God or fear of others? Because if we aren’t careful, our entire lives will be motivated by fear. But God’s purpose in our lives will always be motivated by faith.
The fruit of bondage will leave us tired, frustrated and empty. The fruit of blessing will leave us satisfied, peaceful and filled with the Holy Spirit. Don’t allow the enemy to tempt you with the seemingly “good” fruit of bondage. Satan will do anything to make you miss your purpose, because he knows that your God-centered destiny will have the power, authority and strength of Christ. Our goal should always be to please the Father–no matter what we and other people think.
“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1.9-12 NKJV) (emphasis added).
