Focus on Living for an Audience of One - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - January 17, 2024
Focus on Living for an Audience of One
By Rick Warren
“No one can serve two masters.” Luke 16:13 (NIV)
When you’re always worried about what other people think of you, you can’t be what God wants you to be. But when you learn to think like Jesus, you won’t worry about pleasing everyone. Jesus had the right focus. He was only concerned with pleasing God.
Jesus was never manipulated by crowds or by the approval or disapproval of anybody else. He lived for an audience of one: “I try to please the One who sent me” (John 5:30 NCV). When you have the mind of Christ, that's what you do too.
Wouldn't it simplify your life to live for an audience of one? If God likes what you’re doing, then you know you’re doing the right thing.
God says in Matthew 3:17, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (NIV). Jesus was obviously doing it right.
The truth is, you can't please everybody. Even God can't please everybody! When someone prays for it to be sunny, somebody else is praying for it to rain. Somebody is praying for their team to do well, and someone else wants the opposing team to win. You can't please everybody.
Luke 16:13 says, “No one can serve two masters” (NIV).
You have to decide whose approval you’re going to seek—God's approval or other people’s approval. Are you going to live for what other people think or what God thinks?
When you're always looking for validation from other people, it means you don't really realize who you are. You don’t understand what God made you to do, and you don’t believe that he is always with you.
Jesus never let someone else’s approval or a fear of rejection control him. He wasn’t out to win a popularity contest. He didn't need other people’s opinions to validate himself.
When you have the mind of Christ, you will be so secure in your identity, your purpose, and God's presence in your life that you won't need to look to other people for approval.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Be Encouraged Each Day to Live Out God’s Purposes
As thanks for your gift below to help share the gospel with more people around the world through Daily Hope, we’ll send you Pastor Rick’s new book, Daily Hope Devotional: 365 Days of Purpose, Peace, and Promise.
Each devotional starts out with a Bible verse, followed by teaching that explains God’s Word and shows you how to apply it daily so you can face any challenge and live the life you were created to live.
As a special bonus when you give, we’ll also send you What's Driving Your Life?: A 10-Day Turnaround for a Fresh Start. Featuring 10 hand-picked devotions from Pastor Rick’s new book, they’ll guide anyone feeling stressed, worried, or discouraged toward seeking God for a fresh start.
Request your copy below when you give—and take the first step towards a year of real purpose, lasting peace, and unfailing promises.
Thank you for your partnership!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
