23- Breaking the Cycle of the Fear of Judgement

Have you ever had this conversation with yourself? “I really want to do that or try that or I really feel like God is calling me to do that…but …what will they think?” It has stopped many dreamers in their tracks from moving forward because “they” are out there, thinking their thoughts.

If you are like me, you may have found yourself crippled with paralysis over the fear of others judging you.

There have been times in my life the anxiety of both wanting to be brave and seeing thought bubbles above another person’s head criticizing me left me feeling sick to my stomach. I wanted desperately to move forward but I knew I couldn’t just fake it, I had to let God show me why it was I felt like this, why this fear had such a hold on me.

Although His answer was many layers deep, one of the things He revealed to me was that the judgement I feared the most was also the place I judged others most. How could I think I could harbor mean thoughts toward others and yet not fear others were thinking the same things about me.

To this day it is still something I struggle to keep in check. We are wired for judging but could it be possible the same measure we are using against others is also the measure we fear being used against us?

It says this exact thing in Matthew 7:2 “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” So we have to ask ourselves, how are we judging?

Without the help of the Lord we might circle around this till the day we die. Let’s let Him show us the ways that we are trying to protect ourselves through our judgement and when we don’t know for sure, let grace and mercy preside.

Help us Lord to love people more genuinely, believe the best and be set free to run our race with courage.