Whose Praise Matters?

Most of the time when I feel God's conviction on a sin in my life I know immediately the struggle that He is going to point out.  Today was different.  I had one of the rare times where God was revealing a struggle in me I didn't realize was there.

I'm currently going through the "read the bible in a year" plan on my YouVersion Bible app.  I have this app on my phone, and I love it.  If you have a smart phone, iPad, Kindle, etc. then I highly recommend it, and it's free!

Anyhow, I was finishing up my assigned chapters for the day when the very last verse just happened to strike a chord within me.  A person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.  -Romans 2:29b

I read that last verse over and over and over.

Do I truly seek praise from God rather than people?  Which do I really care more about?  I know I seek the approval from people I love, close friends, and those I respect.  But have I been caring more about their approval and praise more than God...the only one that truly matters?

This is a struggle I didn't even realize I had.  While I do desire to serve God and be obedient to Him, I tend to focus a great deal of time on what others think about that.  I care a little too much about the praise of others and not enough about the praise and approval of  the one who created me.

I had to stop and ask God to change my heart.  I want my life to be about seeking God's praise.  While I enjoy approval and praise from those around me, it shouldn't be my goal, it cannot be what drives me.