Often there is a great desire to know that we are pleasing others. A child in right relationship with his or her parents will have a joy in knowing that they have done something to please their father or mother. We even feel a great pride in seeing our children doing that which they were taught to do in situations that tempt them to set their self-discipline or right-reasoning aside.
As a child of God by faith, we desire to please the Lord. Paul addresses this need by declaring that we can, in this present life, "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing" [Col. 1:10]. He lists four areas of life which, as we occupy ourselves in them, we are not only walking "worthy" of the Lord, but we are also "pleasing" in his sight. Those four areas are good works, Bible knowledge, patience and thanksgiving.
In every occupation of life and in every hour of our day, we can be involved with one or more of those areas. The first, "being fruitful in every good work," tells us how to spend our time. Work is honorable in all things. We work for our families, for ourselves; we even work for the work`s sake. It has a way of setting our troubles aside. Work causes our worries to cease. It shortens the time by focusing our attention. Just as there is a good work, there is also bad work: work that destroys, work that steals, work that draws men to iniquity. But God is pleased when we occupy ourselves in every good work.
Second, God is also pleased when we increase our knowledge of Him. Some deny his existence at times; others claim knowledge of Him by life experience. Still, others profess to have received revelation from Him. How do we know what source to use so that we might increase in our knowledge of God? From the same source that tells us it is possible to know that we are pleasing him in this life: the Bible.
The Old and New Testaments combined give us the greatest single source of a knowledge of God. Jesus Christ himself gives us the greatest insight into the nature and the actions of God. No one declared God is love in as clear and concise a manner as Jesus Christ. It is by the Son of God that we know the love of God in giving of himself a sacrifice for our sin. The Old Testament prophets, including Moses, wrote of Jesus. He is the end of the law for righteousness unto all and upon all that believe. God is pleased when we learn more about him.
Third, God is pleased when we exercise his glorious power. Not the power of creation from nothing and with nothing but a spoken word; but, the power to be patient and to suffer long with others. He is pleased when we are "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering, with joyfulness" [Col. 4:12].
How often are we called on to go another mile when we have already gone ninety-nine extra miles? How often must we wait for good news or desired results? When we have reached the end of our strength, we have a heavenly strength on which to draw. God declares, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" [2 Corinthians 12:9]. When we call on the Lord to help us bear up or hold out or hang on, we are pleasing in his sight.
Fourth, the Lord is pleased when we give thanks unto the Father. For what can we give God thanks? If in nothing else, we can thank God that he has made us "meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" [Col. 1:12]. We can thank God that he has "delivered us from the power of darkness" [Col. 1:13], that he has "translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" by faith in Jesus Christ [Col. 1:13]. If we cannot thank God for anything else, we can thank him for redemption through the blood of Christ, even "the forgiveness of sins" {Col. 1:14].
It is possible to please God in this life, and to know when he is pleased.