It's Impossible Not To Please

I've been talking to several people lately about what it is to please. You know what I mean: To give pleasure or satisfaction; be agreeable. -dictionary.com We get so frustrated when it seems we can't please anyone. However, I've found that pleasing no one is impossible, for there are one of three that you will please:

1 - Others

2 - Self

3 - God

"But," you might be thinking, "I'm not happy, those around me aren't happy, and I know I didn't make God happy! So who was pleased?"  Satan. (And by the way, I consider him victorious in the "other" and "self" category.)

"So," you might ask, "what about the verse in Isaiah 64:6? I was told that we can't please God with even our righteous acts." It's true. Our flesh makes it impossible, but check out Romans 8:8-10, 12-13:
"Those whose lives are in the flesh are unable to please God. You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness... So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Emphasis mine)

"So how do I do this by the Spirit when I don't seem to have the strength?" You don't. Philippians 2:12-13 says, "... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to will and act for His good purpose." All we do is make the choice to allow Him to work in us or not.

Once we make the choice to please God and allow Him to work within us, we are told by Paul what to do next in Ephesians 5: 8-10, "...Walk as children of the light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord." (ESV)

So. Those are the options. You must choose one.

"For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still striving to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ." Galatians 1:10