We’ve all been there. You worked so hard on a project at work, spent hours putting together the perfect outfit, or maybe even started your own business. You worked hard, and want others to see that!
But when it comes time for your friends, family, coworkers or even strangers to see and (hopefully) appreciate your efforts, they respond less than enthusiastically. Maybe even rudely. What gives?
Sometimes, it can seem like the world is against you (even though I can assure you, it’s not!). But you need to remember one key thing—as long as you’re doing what GOD has called you to do, the approval of others doesn’t really matter.
You get into lots of trouble when you seek approval from others, even though it’s just human nature to do so! If you spend all of your time trying to please or impress everyone around you, you might be losing out on what GOD has planned for you. Other people aren’t always going to support what GOD called you to do, and that’s okay.
Over the years, GOD has given me some really thick skin. I was one of the top 20 distributors out of half a million in a direct sales company … which basically meant I got told “no” gazillions of times, but didn’t let it stop me. Years later as a door-to-door outside sales rep calling on business owners ever day, I was told “no” over 7,500 times to my face (yes, I tallied it up!). And while that can be disheartening in the moment, I learned to take it in stride.
These people didn’t know or care about GOD’s plan for me… in fact, HE had so much more in store for me than they could ever imagine. Every “no” I heard toughened me up … and made me realize that although I didn’t have their approval, I could always count on HIS!
We should care most about what GOD thinks of us, not other people. Many people literally waste their entire lives seeking approval from others!
Of course, that isn’t to say you can or should ignore what other people say. Receiving feedback from family, friends and coworkers can be helpful at times, but be sure to take it with a grain of salt. If they don’t truly have your best interest in mind, what they’re saying might not be true!
So keep doing your thing and take feedback, praise and criticism all in stride—but never place any of that above what GOD says about you in HIS Word: “I have loved you with an everlasting love!” (Jeremiah 31:3)