"How can you believe?"

"How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?" John 5:44

I've been trying to believe God more. When I read this verse it really made me think.
I know that belief in God's Word is a key to seeing God's power manifested in my life. (John 14:12,) (Mark 16:17-18)
In context John 5:44 is speaking of salvation. But I think it also applies to me because it tells me that I can't believe if I'm worried about pleasing people.
I think it can apply to many situations. Maybe God has told you to pray for someone and you were afraid to pray the way God directed you because they might get mad at you. Or you could pray really quiet like I do. (I think maybe that is cheating.) Or maybe God has directed you life in a way that's not deemed socially acceptable. Let's look at some examples:

* A young man or women who doesn't believe you have to go to college to have a sucessful life.
* A young women whose calling is to get married and have a family instead of a career.
* Any women who doesn't believe she can (or is suppose to) do everything a man can do. She believes that she is suppose to be her husband's help meet, not his partner.
* You believe that a women should not dress like a man.
* Maybe the person you feel called to marry is younger/ or older than you. Doesn't have a wonderful job, ect. (Here's a good place to put in the disclaimer: God will not call you to go against His Word no matter what you feel called to do!!!!)

But if you've prayed and rightly divided the Word, (2 Timothy 2:15) you might still have a hard time.
Sadly, I've found that it is often christians who may give us the hardest time. Church is more like the world than ever. In many ways we've accepted the same values as the world.
Are we going to let people keep us from fulfilling God's call in our lives or moving forward in God? I hope not. I have to get to the place where I desire God's praise more than man's praise.
(John 12:43)
I don't want to answer to God one day and have to explain why I didn't do what He wanted me to do. I really don't want to have to say that I didn't live my convictions because of what my friends said or believed.
This is what God has put on my heart today. Please pray that I can get past people's opinions and move forward in what God has for me.