Not a lot of things in this world are better than the response stirred up within me when someone I love responds to me with pleasure. Really! Isn’t it one of the best feelings? I can be feeling tired, sad, overwhelmed—what have you. But if someone walks in the room and says or does something for me out of sheer delight in having me in their life, I am over the moon. :)
I think we’d all agree that when we know that our actions or words—our mere presence—brings joy to someone else, it triggers something powerful within us. We feel desired in a way that only another could make us feel.
And more than any other—I want to please God!
I want to feel His delight over me! Because He is God, YES!—but also because I truly love Him and desire that my life be surrendered to His Lordship sacrificially and willingly. I want my life to count for something great!
“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Phil. 2:13
So by His grace alone, what could I possibly offer up to Him that would be pleasing in His sight?
Faithfulness!
Faithfulness in all that I know and am learning. Faithfulness in all of my growing and maturing. It is that I would be found faithful in Him!
“My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:38
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
God trusts me to seek Him. God trusts me to come to Him now—where I would once go to friends or stew over options on my own. With the Spirit within not being squelched, I can! He trusts me to not run from what I learn. He trusts me to keep trusting Him more and more—with me, my children, my husband, my life, my provision, with everything important to me.
God is pleased when I want to obey. When I want to be rid of sin and free of any thing that is not of Him. When I have sought and asked for, desired and am embracing God’s will for my life.
My desire for more of Him, pleases Him!
“The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.” Psalm 147:11
God knows that some things are still hard. Some things are a struggle. There will always be struggle down here. But we look to Him—not to knowledge. We look to Him—not building up of self. We look to Him—not seeking wordly pleasures. We look to Him—to answer all our questions. We look to Him—to meet our needs. We look to Him—to fulfill our purpose.
He is pleased when we keep faithfully coming to His feet. When we rest with Him, talk with Him, learn from Him, lean in and listen to Him. When we let ourselves be cared for by Him. That pleases God!
He sees our hurts. He sees our struggles to break free from thought patterns developed in and by the past. Our struggles please Him! When we are not satisfied with where we are, when we don’t see ourselves as “good enough” or “better than”. Our challenge to ourselves and devotion to be changed pleases God.
Our walk and rest, our trust and wait, our attitude and fruit, our release of self, our joy—it all pleases God as we continue aligning our heart with His.
"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him." Lam. 3:25
He will meet our every need. He will do far more than we could ever ask or imagine. Not due to our efforts, but as a response of His pleasure.
It brings Him joy to bring us closer to Him! It is His joy to cover us in blessing. It is His joy to meet our every need. It is His joy to watch us walk free in Christ.
It is His joy and His glory to be pleased in us!
“Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; and let them say continually, ‘Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity (completeness; soundness; peace; welfare) of His servant.’” Psalm 35:27
“For the Lord takes pleasure in His people.” Psalm 149:4
