Who is on your front row?
I recently heard a preacher ask that question, and it really made me think about my own life. Who do I look to for confirmation, validation, or inspiration? And what will I do if the person I count on leaves? When the person I depended on can no longer be depended on. Why am I so connected to people that they have the power to command not only my attention, but also my day? Why does his/her opinion matter so much?
I know I have been freed from people-pleasing, but there is this place in me, and in many of us, that needs to know that somebody somewhere will be on our side no matter what. We were created for connection. It’s in our nature to desire kinship. It’s deeper than just wanting approval. It’s about relationships. God-centered relationships. He created us to have a relationship with Him, and with one another. But our expectations are so high sometimes that we can’t even live up to them, and yet we expect others to be able to. It’s actually a little unfair when you think about it.
God had to show me that I was putting the wrong people on my front row. We bear the image of God, but we can’t expect them to BE God. No one will ever be able to give us what can only be found in Him. He is the One who will ALWAYS be there even without being asked. He is the One that knows what we need even before we do. And He is the One who loves us even when we’re not so lovable. So, check your front row. Make sure you have the right person sitting front and center, and let everyone else off the hook.
Until next time…
Be blessed