Former Blackout Artist

“Find out what pleases the Lord.” – Ephesians 5:10

Paul says, “Find out what pleases the Lord.” To me, he seems to be suggesting that we don’t automatically know. Even as believers, we sometimes assume we already understand what God likes – that He’s pleased when we do “Christiany” things or stay out of trouble. But Paul’s not talking about surface-level behavior here. He’s talking about relationship – and more specifically – learning the heart of someone you’re in a loving relationship with.

When I was dating my wife, I knew very little about her. I wanted that to change! I wanted to get to know her – what she liked, what she enjoyed doing in her free time, her favorite food, her favorite movie, her favorite flowers. I wanted to know what she valued – what mattered to her. Why? Because I cared about her. And the more I cared, the more I wanted to like what she liked and value the same things she valued.

That’s kind of the same idea Paul’s getting at. BECAUSE… you can’t possibly please someone you don’t know!

The Ephesians had come out of a dark culture – a life centered on pleasing themselves. Now, as followers of Christ, they had to unlearn those old instincts and start discovering the things that pleases Him.

So… what does please God? The Bible tells us. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but let’s look at a few of them.

• Faith. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). God is very pleased when we fully trust Him. So pleased, in fact, that rewards us when we genuinely seek Him.

• Obedience. In 1st Samuel 15, the Lord gave King Saul a command to destroy Israel’s longstanding enemy – the Amalekites – including everything they owned. But Saul disobeyed, and it ended up costing him his kingship. In his stern rebuke to Saul, Samuel said, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” This reveals that God is pleased not just by us talking about what He says, but actually doing what He says.

• A Humble Heart. The psalmist says in Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” A truly humble heart knows that it can’t impress God. It simply comes to Him honest and empty-handed, totally depleted of self and completely dependent on His kindness and goodness.

• Doing What’s Right. Proverbs 21:3 states, “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” Outward appearance without inward devotion is empty. God values the heart behind the actions, not just the show.

And lastly…

• Thankfulness, Generosity, and Goodness. The Apostle Paul spent about three years teaching, discipling, and strengthening the church in Ephesus. When it came time to leave, Paul addressed the elders and reminded them to not neglect their responsibilities to the poor and needy within their church who were under their care. “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35). A thankful heart gives without expecting anything in return.

Finding out what pleases God doesn’t require guesswork. Through spending time with Him (in His Word, in prayer, and walking with the Holy Spirit daily), His values start to become ours. The more we get to know His heart, the more we’ll find ourselves wanting what He wants, loving what He loves, and caring about what He cares about.

Just like getting to know someone you love – you learn what makes them smile. And soon enough, those things make you smile too.