Performing for an audience of One

Who are some of the audiences for whom we feel the pressure to perform?  Given these pressures, how can students perform for an audience of one?

We feel pressure to perform for so many different people. Our parents, our families, friends, professors, church leaders, peers, ourselves...so many people seem to expect so much from us. By now, we’ve all figured out it’s impossible to please everyone. Parents expect good grades and chores done. Families expect time set aside for them and birthday party attendance. Friends expect bonding time and weekend trips. Professors expect A material and fully present students. Church leaders expect examples worth following and thoughtfully planned small group discussions. Peers expect normality and fashion sense. ALL of these audiences seem to expect full devotion to what they want for you and from you. We expect ourselves to meet all of these expectations, while somehow getting a healthy amount of food, sleep, and time with God. Living with the pressure of pleasing everyone weighs down on every aspect of our lives. Performing for an audience of One truly lessens the pressure to perform. Sure, sometimes we forget that God has promised us rest in Him, and we get caught up in trying to be the best for everyone else. But He allows us to find peace in His strengths. When we stop worrying about doing things as a result of our own strength, it becomes much easier to rely on God alone. Knowing He makes all things work together for the good of us who love Him is enough to free us from stress, if even just a little. 

Thought Questions

1. What are some daily routines you could change to redirect your focus from performing for the rest of the world to pleasing an audience of One?

2. Is it sinful to worry about pleasing others before God?