The Stress of Pleasing Everyone

“I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants.” - John 5:30 (GNT)

Jesus lived his life under constant pressure. People were always following him—wanting him to heal them, teach them, or trying to trap him and even kill him. Yet, when you read about his life in the Bible, he never seems frantic. He never appears rushed. Instead, he handled enormous pressure with remarkable peace.

I want to learn how to live like that. Don’t you? The first key to reducing stress is knowing who you are.

If you don’t know who God made you to be, your family, peers, and culture will gladly try to decide for you. And a confused identity always leads to stress. You'll lean into people pleasing rather than walking in peace as the person God created you to be.

Jesus knew exactly who he was. Over and over again, he defined himself clearly:

“I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6 NIV)

“I am the door” (John 10:9 ESV)

“I am the bread of life” (John 6:35 NIV)

When you don’t know who you are, you start copying and comparing. You try to be someone you’re not—or you feel inferior because you’re measuring yourself against someone else.

But God made you to be you—with your own unique mix of strengths and weaknesses. There’s no one else like you in the entire world. You have a unique thumbprint, footprint, eyes, and voice. God never makes copies. You’re it.

Once you know who you are, you also need to know who you’re living for.

When you don’t know who you’re living for, you end up trying to please everybody. And that creates enormous stress—because no one can please everyone.

Jesus knew exactly who he was living for:

“I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants” (John 5:30 GNT).

When you live for an audience of One, life becomes simpler—and your stress level drops dramatically. Your only responsibility is to do what God created you to do.

“Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4 (NLT)

God made you to be you. He didn’t make you to be what your parents want you to be. He didn’t make you to be what your spouse, boss, or friends want you to be.

God wants you to be exactly who he created you to be. That means you have to refuse to be defined by others.

Here’s my question: Who are you letting determine your identity?

Maybe you have parents who died years ago, but you’re still trying to live up to their expectations. Maybe you’re hanging on to what your ex-husband or ex-wife said to you, and you’re trying to prove that person wrong. Maybe you’re trying to keep up with what the culture says you should be.

Choose to be who God made you to be. Simply say, “I resolve to no longer let other people press me into their mold. I’m going to do what God wants me to do and fulfill the plan he has for my life—not somebody else’s plan for my life.”

God wants you to be exactly who he created you to be and nothing more. Friend, that is real success in life.

If you want to live with less stress and more peace—start here: Know who you are and know who you’re living for.