And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him. – 1 John 3:22
Do you remember taking a “big subject” in school, a class you were not certain you could pass?
Whether it was chemistry or art history, the concepts in the class-tested your fortitude. Pleasing God is a “big subject!“ Entire denominations of faith, and epochs in Church history, are based on specific thoughts about what pleases the Creator. Mercifully, discovering what brings God joy does not require a degree in theology. He has made it plain across the span of time, and it remains clear today.
Pleasing God starts with seeking Him in faith. “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists, and He rewards those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:5). The patriarch Abraham is your example of a pleasing faith that leads to salvation. “He believed the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). And today you have the gospel of Jesus Christ to lead you to the Father.
Faithful followers are called to please God by walking in His Spirit. Paul explained it in detail to believers in Rome, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit” (Romans 8:9). Ultimately it is God’s Spirit, and you live in harmony, that brings Him the greatest joy. “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
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