Don’t Let Them Be Your God
People and circumstances make terrible deities.
I used to let my circumstances define how I was doing.
If life were smooth? I was good.
If someone liked me? I felt valuable.
If someone was upset? Well, clearly, I had failed as a human.
Worse still, I often let others dictate who I was and how I was doing.
Their moods, opinions, or affection became my emotional thermostat.
And that, my friend, is exhausting.
Life will always include relational friction and difficult seasons.
It’s not a sign that something’s wrong with you.
It’s a sign you’re alive on planet Earth.
“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” – Psalm 118:8
Why do we hand people and problems the keys to our peace?
If they didn’t give us our value, they can’t take it away.
You are perfectly loved by the One who died for you.
“You were bought at a price.” – 1 Corinthians 6:20
And circumstances? Even more unstable.
We act like life has to go “our way” so we can be happy.
But Jesus never promised that..
He didn’t say, “Follow Me and it’ll be easy.”
He said::
Take up your cross.
Love your enemies.
In this world, you will have trouble… but take heart—I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
The harder life gets, the more clearly Jesus can be seen—in us.
“Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials…” – James 1:2
“…we rejoice in our sufferings, because suffering produces perseverance…” – Romans 5:3
Let’s stop letting people and problems define us.
Let Jesus be Lord.
Everything else is an idol..
Reflection
In what ways have I allowed people’s approval or disapproval to define my worth?
What circumstances have become the measuring stick for how I think I’m doing?
How can I return to the truth that Jesus alone defines my value and peace?
Prayer
Jesus, thank You that You alone define my worth. Forgive me for letting people or problems become my god. Teach me to rest in Your love—unshakable, unchanging, and complete. May I live from Your peace, not their praise. From Your truth, not life’s twists. In You, I am whole. In You, I am free. Amen.