“Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.” The apostle Paul’s counsel to the Ephesians is good advice for us. Paul mentioned several times in his letters it was his personal ambition. Paul said he makes it his goal to please God because we will all one day appear before Him. We will be accountable for the way we live our lives, and God will reward faithfulness (2 Cor. 5:7-10). If we are going to spend all eternity with our heavenly Father, it makes sense to want to discover what pleases Him.
How do we know what pleases God? Is it doing spiritual calisthenics? Does it depend on how many times we read our Bibles or pray? Is it determined by our good deeds?
Scripture gives insight into what pleases God and what doesn’t. God is not pleased with wickedness, disobedience, or idolatry. He was not pleased with the earth’s corruption before He sent the flood. He was not pleased with His people when they grumbled about His provision of manna in the wilderness. God was displeased when Moses made excuses and argued with Him about his calling. David’s act of adultery and then murder displeased the Lord. God hates pride. Dishonest weights and measures are detestable to Him.
So what does please Him? It’s not a matter of finding ways to make God love us more. He proved His love at the cross. He loves us so much, He wants us with Him in heaven. He created us to spend eternity with Him, but sin changed the relationship. He sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, so we could be forgiven and our relationship to Him could be restored.
God is pleased with faith (Hebrews 11:1-6). In fact, it is impossible to please Him without it. Once we come to God through faith in what Jesus did, what matters about the rest of our lives is how we walk with Him. God enables us to walk more closely with Him. Paul prayed for the Colossians that they would have complete knowledge of God’s will, and have spiritual wisdom and understanding, so they would live in ways that honor and please the Lord (Colossians 1:9-10).
God is pleased with integrity (1 Chronicles 29:17). Doing good and sharing with those in need are sacrifices that please God (Hebrews 13:16). God delights in those who tell the truth (Proverbs 12: 22). When we seek ways to please God, it is not about trying to earn His love. We can’t do that. But when we live to please Him, we find the abundant life Jesus promised His followers. The abundant life is not an easy, trouble-free life, but a life full of blessing. Psalm 1 reveals that God blesses the one who delights in His Scriptures and meditates on them. Psalm 37:4 tells us that when we delight in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart, because we will want what He wants. He delights in us delighting in Him.
It’s a circular love relationship. The more we get to know Him, the more we will delight in Him. The more we delight in the Lord the more we experience His delight and are able to receive the rich blessings He lavishes on us.
He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalm 147:11 NLT
In what ways are you learning to please God? Please leave a comment below.
Blessings,
Phyllis
© 2026 Phyllis L. Farringer
Image courtesy of Pixabay
Thank you for your thoughts, Phyllis. I’m grateful God loves me and I do my best to do what He wants – because I love Him.
Yes, Joni. How can we not love Him? Thank you.