Who is my audience?

At church they've been doing a series on Wisdom.  They've really been calling it Proverbs but it hasn't really been Proverbs focused - it's been wisdom focused. They do a lot of jumping around in scripture, which I don't necessarily like, but Sunday's sermon really hit home with me. And let me just say, that I'm about to get real honest and I hope that this steps on your toes, the way it did mine. (All of the following is from Fellowship Church, Knoxville on 08/07/2011)

One of the questions that Rick asked was: Who is your audience? When I seek my core purpose, meaning and affirmation, I turn to ______________.


Ouch. My authority is mostly, mainly, has been lately, anybody but God. 

Why would it be anyone else that the Creater of the Universe. The Almighty? Why? Because - I like to define myself by things I can control. Control. That's the key word. Why do we resist surrendering ourselves to him? He is God.

My authority lately has been work. Work, of all things, has controlled my mind and my life and my thoughts
for the last three years. I'm constantly anxious about how I'm doing and what's going on and when am I going to be let go?  Rick said the following Sunday: "You don't own your career. Failure or movement in a career is often times God opening a door to a whole new place with him that you've never known before. Unemployment is not the rejection of God, sometimes it is a walk into a very hard passage of surrender. Put your heart out there and trust Him."

Why is this so hard? Why is it so hard to surrender to him? Why is it our inclination to resist Him? Is it because we are Americans?

John Piper writes: "When you have tasted the beauty of God and the approval of God in Christ, the addiction to human approval is broken". I have tasted of that approval of God, but I find it very easy to forget. And to go straight to someone who makes me feel good about my work or myself or my situation.  We worship to get his affection and approval and affirmation. This need we have is a reflection of the need you have for God the father. He is hardwired to give you affirmation and acceptance because it's who He is. 

Biblical authority is exchanging my glory for His Glory; secured in His authority and seeking his approval.

John 5:44
How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the ONLY God?