How Do We Please God Himself?
The lecture explains that the goal of a person’s life is not merely to please people, but first to please God, while striving to love everyone within the love of God, without allowing this to lead to violating His commandments. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III affirms that a person may sometimes have to endure the displeasure of some people for the sake of remaining steadfast in the truth and obeying God.
He explains that the true way to please God begins with loving God with all the heart, because obedience without love becomes only an external form or habit, whereas love makes the commandment easy and joyful. He also clarifies that keeping the commandments is a fruit of love and not merely a legal obligation.
The lecture discusses the importance of repentance as a fruit of the love of God. True repentance is not based only on fear of punishment, but on replacing the love of sin with the love of God, so that the heart is filled with divine love that prevents a return to sin.
The lecture also emphasizes that trusting God is one of the greatest ways to please Him, through complete faith in His wisdom, love, and providence, and by believing that everything God allows is for spiritual good, enabling a person to live in peace and joy regardless of circumstances.
It also highlights the virtue of humility and self-denial, calling the believer to abandon reliance on self and personal thoughts, and to submit completely to God’s will, following the example of the Virgin Mary in saying, “Let it be to me according to your word.” The humble person seeks God’s will rather than personal desires.
The lecture affirms that the real struggle is not only between pleasing God and pleasing people, but also between pleasing God and pleasing oneself. The correct spiritual path is self-denial and seeking the comfort of others within the limits of God’s love, while making God the first goal in every action.
In conclusion, the lecture teaches that a person pleases God through love, repentance, complete trust in Him, humility, and self-denial, thus living a spiritual life filled with peace, joy, and steadfastness in God.
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