Why Are We Broken-Hearted?

"If our devotion is to the cause of humanity, we will be quickly defeated and broken-hearted, since we will often be confronted with a great deal of ingratitude from other people. But if we are motivated by our love for God, no amount of ingratitude will be able to hinder us from serving one another."
Oswald Chambers

I'm a people-pleaser. Have been since childhood. My parents will ill much of the time and I walked on eggshells - hoping that if I was good they wouldn't die.

This habit has followed me all my life. It's become a condition of my heart - a hiding place of sorts. But when I read this paragraph by Oswald Chambers I realized how unfair I have been to the Lord because of this need to please humanity. I have often let it supersede my desire to please God.

I have to ask myself why I do what I do. When the weight of serving others becomes a burden that seems unbearable, that's when I must examine my motives. Who am I trying to please - God or man? Our servant-hood must be born our of our love for the One who served us and is our example.

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this. How about you? Do you know whom you serve and why? Is God's approval more important to you than man's?

The right answer just might save our heart from being broken again and again.

Blessings!