Session 13

What “they” say doesn’t matter

From 2 Samuel: A 5-Week Devotional

If you live for people’s approval, you will die from their rejection.

Anybody who has ever lived through high school knows that is more than just a nice Pinterest quote. It’s the truth.

If we get that promotion, make the team, or score a date with our dream guy/girl, it’s easy to live for the opinion of others when things are going well.

It’s thrilling to ride the wave of approval from people wishing us the best and celebrating all we have accomplished. The problem comes when the wave moves on to the next person or when opinions about us start to change.

If we put our identity and confidence in what others say about us, we will fall apart when we can no longer rely on their validation.

If we put our identity and confidence in what others say about us, we will fall apart when we can no longer rely on their validation.

We see this dynamic in 2 Samuel 4. Ishbosheth was a man who took his courage from another man, Abner, rather than from God. When Abner died, Ishbosheth was broken. In crisis and under pressure, Ishbosheth was paralyzed by fear.

Only faith in God can overcome fear (2 Timothy 1:6-8, Hebrews 13:6). Like Ishbosheth, we’ve been guilty of drawing our courage and confidence from others, but God has given us the strength to overcome through faith.

To find our confidence, we don’t have to listen to the shouts of the world. Instead, we can choose daily to hear the whispers of our Heavenly Father.

Reflect:

• Is there an area of your life where you have been living for people’s approval?
• Who does God say you are?
• What is one thing you can do to remind yourself that what God says about you is most important?