BY REV. DORAL PULLEY | Today’s Church Tampa Bay
Who are you attempting to appease today? Some of us are people pleasers, living our entire lives pursuing the approval and validation of others, deriving pleasure from satisfying them. Alternatively, some of us live our lives aiming to satisfy only ourselves, disregarding others. As for me, I seek to please God. I strive to live my life with the ultimate goal of pleasing God. When my time on earth is done, I yearn for God to say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, and I will make you rule over many.” I aim to please God to the extent that I hope God will say about me what was said about Jesus, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Perhaps you remember the story of Herodias’s daughter. She danced in such a way before King Herod at a feast that he was so pleased with her that he offered, “What do you desire? I will give you anything up to half of my kingdom.” She was uncertain of what to ask for, so she consulted with her mother. Her mother told her to request the head of John the Baptist on a platter, and the daughter returned to Herod and made that request. Although Herod did not wish to comply with her request, he felt he could not renege because of the decree and the edit he had given. Therefore, John the Baptist was beheaded.
Would you like to find yourself in a place where instead of asking God for what you desire, God is so pleased with you that God is the one asking you what you desire, like in the case of Solomon? God asked Solomon what he desired, and Solomon requested wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to lead God’s people. God was so pleased with Solomon that God not only granted Solomon’s request but also gave him the desires of his heart beyond what he had asked.
There exists a state of consciousness where God is so pleased with you that God blesses you immeasurably more than you could ever ask or think. God blesses you in such a way that takes your breath away and exceeds your expectations. The question is, who are you striving to please today? Are you seeking to achieve and maintain the approval and validation of people?
– To make a lineWhen I Feel, I Deal With so I Can Heal, Keep It Real, and God is Revealed (Matthew 15:6)
The heart is the emotional center of the soul, and everything that you feel within is reflected in your life and health. The energy of your emotions will always find expression, if not dealt with, in various forms, such as sickness, pain, disease, discomfort, and dysfunction. You must learn to confront and heal yourself by taking ownership of how you feel. When I process how I feel, genuine healing takes place, and I connect with God’s divine wisdom. Whatever is brewing in your heart finds expression in your relationships as chaos, confusion, contention, competition, and comparisons. Therefore, it is imperative to address how you feel since God is the Creator of thoughts and emotions. Purifying and clearing your heart of any negativity is crucial.
Whatever emotion you harbor shows up in your finances and prosperity. When you entertain bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, or any negative emotion, you block the flow of blessings in your life. Nothing is worth stagnating your prosperity and success, regardless of what someone said or didn’t say, or what someone did or didn’t do. Therefore, you must confront and work through any guilt, shame, condemnation, or judgments within you because you do not want to sabotage the blessings coming to you. You need to be aware of how you feel and never let other people invalidate your emotions.
Your feelings are not an indication of what is right or wrong but are a gift from the divine. They guide you, be it what to look out for or when to say yes or no. Don’t shy away from expressing your emotions. If you feel the need, you can journal them out, talk to the person who caused them or seek professional help from a therapist or counselor to address how you feel. When you suppress your feelings, you inevitably indulge in unhealthy behaviors like overeating, drinking, smoking, sex, shopping, or gambling. It is time to confront and release all unresolved feelings to avoid potential addictions and unhealthy ways of coping. Allow yourself permission to feel what you are feeling because Jesus was tempted in all ways as we are, and we have a High Priest who is touched by the feelings of our infirmities.
Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. Having a clean heart doesn’t mean you won’t feel anything; it just means that you will address your emotions and then let go of them. It’s time to address what is truly on your mind and heart and ponder over what you are feeling. Blessed are the pure-hearted individuals because they see God in all things, people, and events. Every word that comes out of your mouth, whether profane or meaningful, is a reflection of what is lying within. When you hold onto unresolved emotions, it comes out as negative and vulgar language. Therefore, it is acceptable to feel angry without sinning. Jesus got angry, but He used the energy productively and positively. Consequently, don’t shy away from channeling your emotions’ strength towards positivity, productivity, and healing. Regardless, it would be best if you dealt with how you feel because it’s a matter of the heart.
Rev. Doral Pulley is the senior pastor of Today’s Church Tampa Bay, 2114 54th Ave. N, St. Petersburg, and 3501 North 26th St., Tampa.
