As leaders, we soon find out that we cannot please all people. I grew up wanting to make everyone happy. I thought it was my job. I had the mistaken notion that if I was nice to people, they would be nice to me. When I was about 8 years old, I even make a “kindness chart” in the back of my Bible because I truly wanted to be intentional in showing kindness. When I grew up and became an adult, I was quite surprised to find out that people are not always nice. Then when I got into ministry, I guess I sort of carried over that idea that if I was kind to people, they would be kind to me…It doesn’t exactly work out that way. There are those times when people are amazingly kind, but there are times when we find that we cannot please everyone. As leaders, we have to make decisions that make part of your people happy and part of your people very unhappy. For a recovering “people pleaser” like me, that has been a hard spot to be in. I had to learn (and continue to learn) to trust God in these uncomfortable times…even scary times…that I can be ok if we are obeying God and pleasing Him. When I read about the lives of the prophets and the apostles, it wasn’t always easy to serve the Lord in ministry. When Paul was getting ready to go to Jerusalem, he knew what was awaiting him… and it wasn’t going to be easy. He said “I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus- the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”
Verses that continue to encourage me are: Psalm 147: 11 says ” The Lord’s delight is in those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His unfailing love.” Colossians 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” May we choose to trust God in a greater way as we serve Him.
“Dear Lord, We thank You that You have given us this amazing privilege to serve You. May we continue to grow in our trust and obedience to You. Please help us to have favor with You and with others, but on those difficult days, may we realize that pleasing You is enough… You will work out all of these things for Your Glory and Your Plan.”

Cindy Lyons: Founder of Friends In Ministry Women’s Ministry & Senior Pastor’s Wife at High Street Baptist Church