· You tend to compare yourself with others
· There is a nagging sense you are not important  or special enough
· You are envious of someone else's success
· You try to impress people a lot
· You worry about conversations or situations that may have caused others to think less of you
 
If you notice any of the above behaviors in your life, ask yourself this question - to whom do I belong? Who or what gives my life its ultimate sense of purpose and meaning? This is where you need to seek approval. If God is your answer, then what people think about you is not nearly as important as what God thinks about you. Most of us know that, yet our daily preoccupations suggest we don't believe it.  A little criticism makes me angry. A little rejection makes me depressed. A little praise raises my spirits. A little success excites me. It doesn't stop. We become like a small boat on the ocean that is at the mercy of every passing wave.
 
As believers, we need to find freedom from a constant need for approval and learn to live at peace among our critics. In the above passage Paul says we need to become God pleasers. Translating this message into meaningful behavior requires we stop worry about others and live transparently. We need to flee from personal resentments. We need to practice the art of secrecy (acts that impress others lose their power to help us live out our faith). Most importantly, we need to accept ourselves for who we are - a wonderful work in process. The truth is, people's opinions about us are powerless unless we give them credibility.