Negative Opinions Don't Define Me

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Being Exactly Who I Am: Why Negative Opinions About Me Don't Define Me


The Journey of Confidence Building

If you are reading this, you have probably already read the first installment of my series, "Being Exactly Who I Am," titled "How I Overcame Low Self-Esteem."



Picking up from the point where I was able to stand in front of a large group of people and share my thoughts about God, many opportunities started opening up for me to continue being in front of others. I started a music club where I taught about 50 individuals music theory and practical skills, cracked jokes, put my friends on the spot to answer questions, and simply shared my experiences with them. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life, and God used those times to build my confidence from zero to what it is today.


Did I face any challenges during the confidence-building process?

Yes, I did. While things were going well, there were moments that shook my confidence. I received genuine hatred from some individuals, which is not uncommon. Some words pierced me deeply, to the extent that it took me three days to recover. However, God showed me a trick. He taught me to build a mental defense that blocks out anything said about me that He Himself has not said about me.



I came to understand that people speak based on their own level of understanding, and their perceptions will always remain theirs unless I choose to adopt them and make them my own. So, as I started thinking along those lines, whenever someone says something about me that has the potential to hurt me, my defensive wall immediately counters it and replies, "That's your perception, but it is not the truth."


A Concrete Example

I once faced an onslaught of insults from someone I used to share a room with in school, because I had left the inner door open without closing it. However, I wasn't moved by her words. Instead, I laughed it off and preached to the entire room in the evening about how Jesus wants us to become more like Him by surrendering ourselves to God.




That's how I am unaffected by negative comments and perceptions from people because they do not define me unless they align with God's perception of me.


What Truly Defines Me


God's Word.


‭‭Psalm‬ ‭71:5‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

[5] For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my trust from my youth and the source of my confidence.

Let us allow the Word of God to define who we are. You see, if we constantly sway with every wind of doctrine or perception, we will be easily tossed about. I am grateful that God has defined me and has made me fully aware of who I truly am.

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