This is a thought I shared a while back, but it’s one I’ve been reflecting on again lately: one of the hardest things to navigate is realizing that you don’t fit the version of you someone else has created in their mind.
Most of us have experienced it.
I know I have.
It’s painful when people misunderstand your motives, question your character, or hold onto a story about you that simply isn’t true.
It’s even harder when those people matter to you.
Over time, though, I’ve learned something that brought a great deal of freedom: My worth was never meant to rest in the hands of other people.
If my identity is built on praise, criticism will eventually crush me. If my value depends on acceptance, rejection will define me. If my confidence comes from being understood, misunderstandings will leave me unraveling.
The reality is that people change their minds. Opinions shift. Attention fades. Applause grows quiet. Even the people who celebrate you today may overlook you tomorrow.
None of those things were ever intended to be the foundation of our worth.
Our worth comes from God.
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” ~Psalm 139:14
From the One who created us, knows every part of us, and loves us completely. The One who sees what others miss, understands what others misunderstand, and still calls us His own.
Scripture reminds us that our identity is not found in public opinion, but in belonging to Christ.
The older I get, the less interested I am in chasing approval that can disappear overnight. I want my heart anchored in something that doesn’t shift with circumstances or people’s perceptions.
I want to remember that being known by God matters far more than being known by people.
People may change.
Jesus never does.
And my worth is secure in Him.