An Audience of One

 

An Audience of One

One of my favorite TV shows is The West Wing. In one particular episode that stands out to me, two of the characters discuss having a constituency of one. Often on the show congressmen and senators discuss their responsibility to their constituencies; the people who have elected them. Of course, this is art demonstrating reality. Our elected representatives are responsible to us, the people who have elected them. On this episode that I am recalling, the two characters, Josh, who is the president’s deputy chief of staff and Amy, who is at the time of the episode the first lady’s chief of staff, are not elected but work for elected individuals. Amy and Josh profess that they feel they have a constituency of one, Josh, the president of the US and Amy, herself. I bring this up because when I think about what they say I find myself agreeing with them. I have a constituency of one. My constituency of one is God.
About a year ago I attended a spiritual healing conference at a church that involved praise and worship times throughout the day. During one of the praise and worship times I had a vision of myself standing on a grand stage singing alone and out in the audience the only person who was there was God. I was singing to an audience of one. Later after the session, I shared this with the people who I attended the conference with and they each shared that they felt the same way.
This was an important thing for me to realize because I am a people pleaser. This desire to please people is an incorrect manifestation of of the gifts of mercy and service that God has placed in me. My motivation to use these gifts was a desire to keep the peace or gain others approval. If I did something that was to gain others approval and I did not reach my goal or I felt my efforts were not appreciated I would often feel rejected or unworthy. It often caused me to be anxious, and I found that a great deal of energy was used up on things that weren’t important.
A wise person told me, “Amanda, you only have one person to please, and that is God.” It seems like such a simple statement, such a simple concept, but for me to have someone say it was revolutionary.
I only had to please God. When I really understood that and learned it within myself so many things changed for me. I was less anxious. I didn’t over extend myself. I was motivated to serve people, but my purpose was to glorify God and please Him. The great thing was I already had His approval. So that eliminated a reason for anxiety for me. I also found that it was easier for me to forgive people for past hurts that I felt. If I only had to please God and I was responsible only to Him, then that was true of them as well.
I do find myself backsliding to my old way of thinking sometimes. But as I look more toward God and come to know Him better, I am able to keep my focus on pleasing Him. Whether, it’s taking care of my family, volunteering, my job, planning a party, how I decorate my home, how I dress, or how I do anything, if I focus on pleasing Him, my constituency of one, my audience of one, I find more pleasure, more fulfillment and less stress.
I imagine I am standing on that stage before my audience of one and He is applauding, lavishing praise. “Well done good and faithful servant.”

In Christ’s name,
Amanda