”Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)

Do not fear! Trust the Lord!

We should not fear man, what they can do to us or what they can do to others, how they react to certain things, their opinions and their desires, their ways, because this will only lead us to a trap that might cause us to fall down, sin and hide what our true potential is. The verse also told us to trust in the Lord and by this we are in His protection. Whatever comes in our way, the Lord will keep us away from harm for He would not want us to get hurt and be trapped in situations that will make us suffer.

I did fear people for the longest time. I was not open to my family and I don't even take a call from my cousins. I also don't speak up my opinions on any situation, may it be in class, in the office or at home. I keep it all to myself. I don't go out much. I'd rather be at home alone in my room. I get too tired to socialize and I just want to avoid people as much as possible. I felt suffocated. I felt I'm not myself when I'm with people in a party. I fear them. I fear the thought that I might be rejected. I fear that they don't like me or that I can't belong to their group. I'm afraid that they would talk bad things about me. And that my personality sucks from their perspective. And so I fake it for some people I don't usually go with or trust. I had a hard time talking to people, especially in a large crowd. I felt itimidated when people are looking at me. I was trapped in a world full of fear. And I had lived to please people. But when I was trying to get out, a person had restricted me again to go back to the trap because I fear that he would hate me and would not love me anymore. My identity was not familiar to me anymore and that I was not confident with who I am. That trap stole away what I can do and what I am capable of doing. I was full of that trap and did not thought of trusting God.

I am glad, because I am now in the process of getting out of the trap because I know that God is with me. He will get me out of there and show me my true self and the design He has for me. God will not let me fall down although I experience rejection from people, they may judge me, they may not want me, but I would care less now because I know God would not do those things to me. And all that matters is what God feels and thinks for me not what people would feel or think for me.

Thanks be to You my Lord! For when most people might reject me and don't like who I am, You are there to accept me, with open arms embracing my whole being. Thank you for pulling me out of the trap and giving me back the confidence I hid for a long time. Thank you for all the capabilities, talents and all the gifts you have given me. And no matter what life brings to me, I will not fear because I know You are always here. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.