[develop courage that reaches beyond affirmation] Others will do what they chose to do, but this must never create lasting trepidation within your heart. That is, deep down, the right thing to do must overcome any belief that our rejection, at their hands, will be absolute. Their actions. Their opinions. The final word. You press forward, not based on the sentiments of their feedback, but because your mission is always bigger than their negativity. 

People in tyranny can cause others much psychological harm and long-term damage. And it’s the fear of such kinds of people that have the tendency to drive us away from one another, somewhat permanently. But, in our attempt to take a wide circle around those with malicious intent, we miss the relationships in our life that offer us just the love and belonging we’re so desperately craving. Our fear of bad relationships can keep us from the nurturing ones too.

Fearing harm, we miss the healing that comes from the steady abiding presence of otherness in our life. In other words, what can others do to me that God cannot unequivocally undue? It’s well-known that everyone around us is riddled with flaws, just as we are, and so our trust isn’t in the perfection of others, but in the God who can guide others. Jaded. If we aren’t careful, we’ll think it’s the world against us, but the universe can’t conspire. When we live and think this way, we aren’t trusting God.

Rather, we’re giving others power over our life which they were never meant to have. When their actions have us overwhelmed with fear, we can feel God slipping away. Drowning in thoughts of their next move instead of the salvation of the Lord, our heart can’t enjoy the freedom to praise, glory, and magnify the one who never spent a thought in fear; as every breath was unwavering trust—Jesus Christ. When trust goes first, fear comes last.

“in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?” Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬