“The People Pleasing Prison”

There are recurring symptoms of approval addiction: cringing whenever you receive criticism; wearing yourself out trying to manage the perceptions of others; derailing plans when you sense disapproval; losing sleep over the possibility that someone is upset with you. The life of a people pleaser is depressing and draining, and it’s not as selfless as it sounds. Pontius Pilot gives us a lesson about people pleasing in John 18, and it’s just as relevant to us today. On the surface, it can be good and loving to want to please your friends, your spouse, your parents, or your boss. But people pleasing is only good if you aim to please the right people in the right way at the right time. This takes wisdom, so it is paramount to first be a God pleaser, not a people pleaser.