Evil Defeated (Part 9)

Whenever changes come into our lives, or we even just think about making changes, one of our first responses is fear. It is the fear of how we will be perceived by others. The origin of that emotion goes to a core fear that we will be rejected by others, and thus find ourselves alone in the world. It is a universal fear.

This fear is so strong that it keeps people chained to unhealthy lifestyles and an unhappy life for a lifetime.

The most common scenario I saw as a pastor was to see this dynamic played out with people who have lived a codependent life. The codependent does a poor job of taking care of themselves, never verbalizes their own needs or opinions, and has very poor boundaries with others, allowing others to take advantage of them.

Since my stroke I have spent much time battling this type of fear. Anxiety has lurked just outside the door of my heart. I really lost my joy, though no one would have known because I became so good at faking it. I made some bad decisions and let myself become trapped in the web of what others thought of me rather than what I thought of myself. My health issues only worsened that fear within my heart and mind.

The apostle Paul must have found himself battling similar demons. He lived two starkly different lives. The one prior to his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus and the one he lived after meeting Ananias in Damascus.

Who would he try to please with his life? Those who wanted him to return to persecuting Christians? Those who wanted him to preach Christ only to Jews and not Gentiles? Those who knew him only as God's servant?
It must have been out of his frustration with pleasing people that he wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:3 The Message, "It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion." Paul decided to draw a line in the sand. He came to the place where all he was concerned with was pleasing God, not people.
That is the solution for everyone who allows public opinion to dictate to them how they should act.

We have no control over what people think of us. How they view us is dictated by their own lifestyle, beliefs, prejudices, and opinions. That's why living to please others will make you miserable. because there will always be someone who does not like what you are doing!  I'm not suggesting we should have an inflated, egotistical view of ourselves, believing we are always right and never wrong. Our focus needs to be on walking the walk and talking the talk that Christ commands us to. We must always approach Him in humility, listening to His Word, and making changes when we are living contrary to His will.

You defeat evil by restoring your joy in Christ. Restoration comes when you realize that doing your best for God is in the long run all that matters.