What Do You Do After the Applause Ends?
When you do something and others tell you you did a great job, that was super impressive, you're awesome, it makes you feel good. And it's a part of God's plan for encouragement.
See the principle clearly
When you do something and others tell you you did a great job, that was super impressive, you're awesome, it makes you feel good. And it's a part of God's plan for encouragement.
The Bible is filled with instruction about lifting people up, rejoicing with those who rejoice, encouraging one another, and just generally helping joy live in us by not only talking about how valuable God is, but how valuable we are, how important we are in relationships and in life.
Let Scripture shape it
And if you talk to them and said, I think you're doing this just because people appreciate you, no one would come back and say, Yeah, that's it. I'm just doing it because others think I'm awesome.
I know that because there have been a great many people in a great many fields who, after the cheers, when the crowd stopped cheering, maybe because the crowd turned cold to what was going on, or maybe just because after a while, your hands will get tired clapping all the time.
Bring it into daily life
If you Googled after the crowd stopped cheering, you would find tons of articles about athletes and how difficult it is to cope with life after their success. Issues with their relationships, issues with their health and their weight, you see all of these challenges trying to cope with life out of the limelight.
But what I'm encouraged by, especially in Jesus, is that the motivation we need to have deeper convictions than that, better purpose, more happiness is something within reach.
Take the next faithful step
But in a very similar way, when people stop noticing what you're doing, when people stop putting you on the stage, if you keep doing it because it's who you are, because of who God is, because of how much you love others, that's the indication of your true character. And when you really evolve this concept, you may actually begin hoping that the crowd stops cheering just so you can truly prove to yourself and to God what you're really all about.
So listen, do great things, serve people, excel in your work, and when others notice, when they appreciate you, when they applaud you, receive it.
Take the idea with you.
- 01Where does the central idea of “What Do You Do After the Applause Ends” show up most clearly in my life right now?
- 02What does this episode call me to believe, stop, start, or handle differently?
- 03What is one specific action I can take today instead of merely agreeing with the idea?
Listen to the original episode
This article was adapted from Episode 54 · After the Cheers. Continue with the podcast for the original teaching in Kris’s voice.
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