Opinions

How is it possible for you to believe [how can you learn to believe], you who [are content to seek and] receive praise and honor and glory from one another, and yet do not seek the praise and honor and glory which come from Him Who alone is God?  John 5:44 (Amplified Bible)

Wow, that really got me!  If I value other people's opinions of me more than God's I will never truly believe and trust him. If I am always people pleasing, then I won't make time to seek Him and find His will for me.  Here is the same verse in a few more ways...see if one of these gets you. 

How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God John 5:44 NIV

John 5:41-44 (The Message)

"I'm not interested in crowd approval. And do you know why? Because I know you and your crowds. I know that love, especially God's love, is not on your working agenda. I came with the authority of my Father, and you either dismiss me or avoid me. If another came, acting self-important, you would welcome him with open arms. How do you expect to get anywhere with God when you spend all your time jockeying for position with each other, ranking your rivals and ignoring God?

Dear Lord, help us to seek praise only from you.  Let us give our lives to bring you praise and honor and glory, even when it's uncomfortable to our flesh.  Your word says "blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust,  who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods (Psalm 40:4) I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart (Psalm 40:8)

Roots

Ephesians 3:16-18 (New International Version)
16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,



Colossians 2:6-7 (New International Version)
6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.



While doing the GPEC summer Bible study, God continued revealing to me that I have a root of rejection in my life. Yucky fruit is the sign of a yucky root! I can try and try to get the fruit to go away, but unless the root is addressed, I'm laboring in vain! The fruit of this root of rejection has been seen in my relationships (or lack thereof), in people pleasing, in doubt and insecurity, and lack of hospitality and serving. It has also caused me to doubt God's truths about me.
I am deciding that it's time to dig that yuck root out and grow in Christ's love!!!!