Let Them

 

                Yesterday was our 148^th monthiversary, and I had every intention of writing to you about the fun we had, but as I’m writing this post to you, we’re hunkered down in the living room, awaiting the arrival of nasty storms. I well imagine we’ll be spending the night in here and doing more radar-stalking than sleeping. So we’ll reserve the full scope of that story for tomorrow.

                Meanwhile, I’ll share with you a meaningful lesson I learned a few days ago.

                I enjoy following an Instagram account called Little House in London. She has a lovely home and regularly posts beautiful, cozy pictures that make me smile.

                Several days ago, she posted a series of pictures full of trees bursting into pink bloom, candles flickering on a dining room table, cozy quilts folded on a bed, and plants – full and green – bringing life to a nook.

                Accompanying the pictures were these words:

                People will have negative opinions about you and every single thing you do.

                LET THEM.

                Let them judge, let them react, let them doubt you, let them question the decisions you’re making.

                Let them be wrong about you.

                Sometimes when I read posts written by those with huge social media followings, I wonder how they ever survive the day-to-day mental blows that come at them from the comment section. It never matters what they do or think, because someone will take issue with it and pound out hateful words.

                I’m glad I don’t have a huge following.

                But I’m not naïve. I know there are those who have negative opinions about my choices, my ideas, my decisions. Most are kind and don’t say them out loud or write them where I can see them. Sometimes, though, it does happen.

                And when I feel judged and doubted and questioned, it is easy to get caught up in it. It’s easy to let those words and opinions dictate my decisions going forward. It’s easy to stifle my excitement because I get caught up in people-pleasing.

                But when I read this, I was reminded of what I know, but I forget. I really do need to let them think the things they’re going to think anyway. And then I need to let them be wrong as I choose to honor the truth of who I am in the Lord and what He asks of me!

                And so I’m going to work on letting them think as they will…and then letting them be wrong…and then? I think maybe I need to work on just letting it go.