Latest / Jo Watson: Unfiltered Faith / Other peoples opinion
Transcript
- Jo Watson: Welcome back to Unfiltered Faith. I'm Joe Watson, and it's time to breathe. Time to slow down. Time to let your shoulders drop and time to step into the sanctuary. Not the sanctuary we're all so familiar with, but the one that God is building inside you. Today, we're stepping into a conversation that so many people carry quietly, sometimes painfully. And almost always alone. It's the fear of what people think. The fear of being judged. The fear of being misunderstood. The fear of being talked about, overlooked, or misinterpreted. And if we're honest, that fear can shape our choices. It can shape our voice. It can shape our confidence and it can even shape our calling. But today we're going to confront that fear with truth, with scripture, and with the presence of God. Because you were never created to shrink so others could feel comfortable. You were created to stand in the fullness of who God called you to be. A listener wrote in with a question that I believe speaks to thousands of hearts. Let's lean in gently, honestly, and hear their words. Dear unfiltered faith, I worry way too much about what people think about me. Sometimes I second guess what I say, what I do, how I look. And even the choices I make because I'm afraid of being judged, misunderstood, or talked about. But I'm starting to ask myself, how much of my life am I living for God? And how much am I living for people's approval? What do you do when the fear of people's opinions becomes louder than your confidence in who God created you to be? I want to learn how to stop shrinking myself just to make other people comfortable. Let's talk about it. First, thank you for your honesty. Your words carry a courage that many people never express out loud. And yes, let's talk about it. Let me say this clearly. You are not weak for feeling this way. You are human. And the fear of people's opinions is one of the oldest battles in Scripture. Galatians one ten says Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of God? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. In this passage, Paul is saying you cannot run your race and run after the approval of people at the same time. And here's the truth, people's opinions are loud, but they are not Lord. You ask the question, what do you do when the fear of people's opinions becomes louder than your confidence and who God created you to be? What you do is this you return to the one who authored your identity. You anchor yourself in what God says, not what People assume, and you remind your soul that God's voice is steady and that people's opinions are unstable. You remind your soul that God's truth is eternal and that people's opinions are temporary. You remind your soul that God's identity for you is unshakable, and that people's opinions shift to your With their own insecurities. So what people think is not something you should build on. And then you stop shrinking because shrinking was never your assignment. To everyone listening, let me speak to the part of you that has been dimming your light. Some of you have been editing your personality to avoid criticism. Some of you have been silencing your voice to avoid conflict. Some of you have been hiding your gifts because someone once told you they were too much or not enough. But hear what I'm going to tell you. You are not too much or too little. You are exactly enough for the assignment that God has placed on your life. Psalms chapter 27, verse 1 says, The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? If God is your light, you don't have to dim yours. If God is your salvation, you don't have to save yourself from people's opinions. If God is your strength, you don't have to shrink to survive. Your calling requires a full voice, not your edited version. Let me share these three things with you. Number one, people's opinions are loud. But they are not truth. Proverbs chapter twenty nine verse twenty five says, Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trust in the Lord is kept safe. This proverb is saying, Fear traps, but trust frees. Number two, God's identity for you is older than anyone's opinion. Jeremiah chapter one, verse five says, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. So you can stand on the fact that people judging you just met you, but God, God created you. And number three, confidence comes from alignment, not from applause. Psalms one hundred eighteen verse six says The Lord is on my side, I will not fear. So if God is on your side, you don't need anyone else to be, and that is the gospel level sock. I want to stop right here and pray for this caller and anyone who lives under the burden of worrying about what people think about them. Let's pray. Father, I lift up this listener and every listener who has been living under the weight of people's opinions. Break the spirit of fear. Break the spirit of comparison. Break the spirit of insecurity. Teach them to hear your voice above every other voice. Restore their confidence. Restore their identity. Restore their boldness. Let them walk in the fullness of who you created them to be unapologetically, courageously, and confidently. In Jesus' name. Amen. I want to say to you today, you will no longer shrink to fit the rooms you were called to expand. You will no longer silence your voice to protect someone else's comfort. You will no longer dim your light to avoid being seen. God is awakening your identity. God is strengthening your confidence. God is amplifying your voice, and the fear of people's opinions is breaking off of you permanently. Thank you for joining me today on Unfiltered Faith. If this episode spoke to you, share it with someone who has been living small, hiding their brilliance or questioning their worth. And remember, your identity is not up for public opinion. Your calling is not up for debate. Your confidence Is not up for negotiation. You were created by God, and that is enough. And if you are carrying a weight that feels too heavy to hold, please remember that this podcast is not a substitution for professional therapy or pastoral care. Reach out. Get the support you need. Because you deserve that kind of care. And if you would like to send in a question or share a story with Unfiltered Faith, you can reach us at Joe Unfiltered Faithpod dot com. We would love to hear from you. Your testimonies and your experiences matter. They help others grow. They encourage weary hearts, and they draw people closer to. to Jesus. Until next time, family, unfiltered faith, God is moving, so stay ready and to God be the glory.