Your relationship with God should be based on love and not on the blind obedience of rules. Think about family relationships among humans, focusing primarily on the relationship between parent and child. Even someone who has had issues with a human parent can usually understand what healthy parental love looks like. The expectations God has for you are similar to the expectations a loving parent has for his or her child. The only difference is that God’s love is perfect, so the things he desires of you and for you are perfect, as well.
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) explains, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. " Faith should be the foundation of your Christian life. Every good thing that God leads you to do and that you do for the sake of pleasing God should be a direct result of your faith. The more you strengthen your faith, the more earnest you will naturally become in your desire to do what is pleasing to God.
God does not want you to be a slave to sin and death. Accepting the gift of salvation that God offers to you is the greatest thing you can do to please Him.
As noted in Romans 8:7-8, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. " Walking in the Spirit does not mean that you will never sin again, of course. You will face temptation and stumble from time to time. When you do fall, examine your conscience, repent, and ask God to help you resist that same temptation in future.
As indicated in Psalm 147:11, “The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. " The right kind of fear can remind you to stay accountable and help you resist temptation. Realizing how much a being as powerful as God loves a being as weak as a human can also deepen your love and appreciation for God.
Remember that your relationship with God should be centered on love. If you are serving God out of blind obedience or a desire to “look good” in front of your peers and family, your focus is off and needs to be adjusted.
Bible study, fellowship with other Christians, and quiet meditation are all tools you should use to deepen your relationship with God. Understand that God’s approval does not depend upon how thoroughly or frequently you make use of these tools, though. God takes more pleasure in your faith and relationship with Him than in the exact tools you use to express that faith. If you ever have to choose between doing good works in God’s name and working on your relationship with God, choose the latter. If you allow your faith to become empty and shallow, even the best of your works will become meaningless on a spiritual level.
Hebrews 13:20-21 states, “Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. " Seeking God’s will does not mean trying to look good. It does mean sincerely working toward spiritual maturity and union with God. Anything that brings you closer to God will ultimately produce consequences that please God.
Since God loves humanity, He also takes pleasure in things that are good for humanity. As such, following God’s law and improving your character as a spiritual being is a pleasing thing for God to watch. Understand that God never commands the impossible. Following God’s commands may mean that you will need to ignore your own desires and fears, but ultimately, God will give you the ability to do so.
As Hebrews 13:15-16 explains, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. " From this passage, you can conclude that the sacrifices involved in giving genuine praise to God and those made in order to share good with others are pleasing sacrifices.
Doing excellent works in God’s name is pleasing to God, of course, but the spiritual enrichment you’ll experience in your own life as a result is also a source of pleasure.
Spend time in God’s company. Take the opportunity to meditate on His promises and presence, and step away from the demands of a busy world long enough to reconnect to your faith. Commit to doing only activities that are relaxing and enjoyable. Too much work is stressful and unhealthy. God wants what is best for you, which means that you’ll need to find time to rest.
Study the teachings of Jesus and use them to guide your own actions. Even though you will fall short of the perfection evident in Christ’s actions and words, merely seeking to follow His example is pleasing to God.
The next time you give a donation or tithe, meditate on the specific needs your gift will help fulfill. When you feel as though you are part of a solution, you may find it easier to give out of love and joy.
Acting in love can be as simple as respecting someone you don’t get along with or as complex as meeting a need someone has regardless of whether you like that person or not.
Consider the potential responsibility carefully. Ask yourself if it could cause stress, failure, or guilt. Most importantly, ask if accepting it will lead you closer to or further away from God. Even if you want to do good by accepting the responsibility, the wrong responsibility accepted during the wrong season of your life can ultimately produce negative consequences, including a weakened relationship with God.
Each day is another opportunity to grow in faith and understanding. You’ll please God simply in seeking Him day by day.
