Sometimes I’ll post something on my Instagram and then second guess and just want to delete it.

What if she sees it?
What if they talk to me about that topic in real life?
What if they take my point across the wrong way?

What if, what if, what if thoughts swirl around my head for hours.

Maybe you can relate in a different way? Maybe you just made a huge life decision or maybe even a small one, but you keep it to yourself because you are afraid of what other people will think and how they will react.

I get you.

I am on this journey with you. But the constant questioning and the little voices in our head telling us we are not enough comes from our deep fear of what other people think.

For example, have you ever been a different person with certain groups of people just so you could fit in? Or have you ever wanted to be free from fear that is trapping you and holding you back?

I bet you do.

I don’t claim to have all the answers because I really struggle with this too. It’s a hard one to tackle, but thankfully Jesus offers freedom in salvation and offers His helping hand in the journey.

Salvation is God’s gift to us. By sending His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins, He conquered death for us. So if He has conquered death, don’t you think He is powerful enough to help us overcome this fear of the unknown and what other people think?

YES, He really is! By letting this fear affect the person God has created us to be, we are giving this fear too much power. We are letting it become bigger than it needs to be and the sad thing is, we probably aren’t even aware it.

So let’s get a plan of action together to battle the fear of man!

Firstly, when you start to feel anxious or afraid of what other people may think or say about you, recognize it! If we don’t know what we are dealing with, it will be really hard to overcome it.

Next, stop yourself right where you are and combat your thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Jesus Christ. Thoughts based on fear are lies and we need to replace them with the Truth.

Common lies you may be believing:

You are unloved when the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

You will never be happy when the Bible says, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

You have no purpose when Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

Or you are not pretty when Song of Songs 4:7 says, “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.”

Don’t entertain these lies because they will lower your self-esteem and leave you feeling defeated. We have joy in Jesus and our identity is in Him. He is the author of life and the very Truth we need to base our lives on. He is so much more powerful than the lies, and it is so important to choose the Truth.


Here is a verse that I cling to when I am overwhelmed with this fear, “The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Psalm 118:6


Did you get that? God’s opinion is the only one that matters because He created you. He wants you on this earth. He needs you to be you so that you can bring your uniqueness into this world. Hang onto His truth because it far outweigh our fears.


If you’re looking to fill yourself with more truth, here are a few ways you can make that happen:


1. Spend time with God each day.
   It may not be something you feel like doing, but it so beneficial to connect with God and to fill our minds with the truth so that we are equipped to combat these lies.
   
   
2. Listen to worship music.
   The words in these songs are full of God’s promises and can be a good reminder of who we are in Him without making a conscious effort to do so.
   
   
3. Surround yourself in a positive space.
   Surrounding yourself with people who encourage you and following others online who are positive influences will help build you up.

Not being so trapped in the lies is a journey, but because we have God’s truth guiding us, we cannot fail. And like it says in John 8:32, “You shall know Truth, and the Truth will set you free.”