Easy to Please

“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me.” Matthew 11:28-29 TPT (The Passion Translation)

I love that word picture of an oasis. Tropical breezes, refreshing iced tea, hammock. Ahh! Relaxing. That doesn’t jive with the image that most people have of God. He is often seen as judgmental, angry, ready to pounce on your every mistake. But these verses say that if we get to know God, if we learn His ways, we’ll discover that He is gentle, humble, and easy to please.

I was a world class people pleaser in my teen years and early adulthood. The word chameleon comes to mind. I tried so hard to be what those around me wanted me to be because I just wanted to be liked. There was a hole inside of me that I kept trying to fill with other people’s approval. What I didn’t realize was that it was a God shaped hole. I would love to say that once I got born again, I felt totally accepted and loved. I knew to a degree that He loved and accepted me, but I still felt I had to work to maintain that love. It took years to learn His ways and to understand that God’s love for me does not matter what I do or don’t do, what I am or am not. And that is refreshing! I still need to go back to that often and refresh myself in the fact that God loves me no matter what. I challenge you today to begin reading God’s Word, the Bible, to find out who He really is. I suggest starting with the book of John in the New Testament. Read with an open heart and watch Him fill it!

Be blessed!