Parent-Pleasing

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. - Psalm 146:5

After I graduated college, I felt very strongly that the Lord was leading me to take this step of faith and accept an internship that would require me to live in Los Angeles for two months. But before I could commit, I wanted to get my parents' blessing. Sure, I was an adult that could make my own decisions, but I still valued my parents' opinions and guidance, so I wanted their input. 

If I'm being honest, I figured my mom would be the toughest sell. Seven weeks in Los Angeles was a long time to be so far from home. Not to mention I wouldn't be getting paid for this internship. I still had car payments to make, insurance and a phone bill to pay for, and a search for a full-time job to postpone. I realized it didn't make the most practical sense, but I knew deep down that the Lord was opening this door for me, and I was supposed to walk through it.

That was exactly what I told my parents that night in April of 2015 at our kitchen table. They listened closely, not showing any sign of whether or not they thought this was a good idea. When I finished giving my pitch, I asked them what they thought.

I'll never forget what my mom said next. 

"Well, I don't really think it matters what we think. If God is calling you to do this, then you need to do it."

I can't even begin to tell you how much confidence, peace, and assurance her statement gave me. It's a statement I've played over and over again in my head ever since, particularly when I'm in a position to make a big or significant decision. 

As much as I desire to please my parents, and as much as I want them to agree with every decision I make, I've learned over the years that pleasing my parents is not my ultimate goal in life. That's not why I was put on this earth. No, I was created in the image of God to follow Jesus, obey His Word, love others the way He loves me, and carry out His will for my life. Pleasing my parents in doing so is just icing on the cake. 

So if you're a kid who, like me, wants to please your parents: First of all, good for you. Scripture has so much to say about the value of honoring our parents. So your intentions aren't bad if you are wanting to please them. But at the end of the day, the person you should be listening to and obeying above anyone else is your Heavenly Father. That means there might be times when God is leading you to do something, but your parents don't agree or understand your decision-making. From one people-pleaser to another, you're going to have to learn to be okay with that. 

Even though my parents and I mostly see eye to eye, there have been a few decisions I've made where they didn't necessarily line up with my thinking. But in those instances, after spending time in Scripture and prayer, I was confident I was following the Lord's lead. Like my mom said, if God is calling you to do something, you need to do it, regardless of what other people think. And trust me when I say that He will never let you down as you walk along His path for you.