In Proverbs 29:25 I read, “The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.” (The Message)
Anyone who has ever tried to do anything great has, at some point, come face-to-face with naysayers. When the Wright brothers tried to fly their first plane, people told them it would never work because humans can’t fly. When Moses led the Israelites across the desert, the people complained: “We’re going to die! We want to go back to Egypt!” When John F. Kennedy said the United States would send a man to the moon, many people said it could never be done.
If these people had let the naysayers discourage them, imagine where the world would be today! While some naysayers have evil plans, not all naysayers are bad people. Some may truly want what’s best for me. They may even love me. But they’re not God. So I should never treat their opinions like I would God’s.
The Bible says, “The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that” (Proverbs 29:25 The Message).
I may be disabled by the opinions of others and not even realize it. Others, including myself have become addicted to the approval of others.
But consider another translation of Proverbs 29:25: “It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe” (GNT).
Other people’s opinions can sidetrack me from God’s purpose for my life. When I give more weight to the opinions of others than I do to God’s opinion, I stay on the sidelines when God wants me in the game. I stay locked up in a prison of self-made fear.
Don’t let that happen. Let go of my fears and trust God’s vision for my life. He’s my biggest cheerleader. He wants me to succeed, and he’s working in my life so I will.
In summary, fearing human opinion will disable me. Trusting in God will protect me from that.
Anyone who has ever tried to do anything great has, at some point, come face-to-face with naysayers. While some naysayers have evil plans, not all naysayers are bad people. Some may truly want what’s best for me. They may even love me. But they’re not God. So I should never treat their opinions like I would God’s. I may be disabled by the opinions of others and not even realize it. Others, including myself have become addicted to the approval of others. It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of me, but if I trust the Lord, I will be safe. Other people’s opinions can sidetrack me from God’s purpose for my life. When I give more weight to the opinions of others than I do to God’s opinion, I stay on the sidelines when God wants me in the game. Let go of my fears and trust God’s vision for my life. He wants me to succeed, and he’s working in my life so I will.
Fearing people is a dangerous trap for me, but trusting the Lord means safety. The fear of people can hamper everything I try to do. In extreme forms, it can make me afraid to do anything. By contract, fear of God; respect, reverence, and trust, is liberating. So why fear people who can do no eternal harm? Instead I should fear and trust God who can turn the harm intended by others into good.
Lord, I need you today. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can trust you in everything including my self-worth and a future job role. You have my best interests in mind. I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my training for a future job role and leading a small group. I pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, amen.
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