Paul the Apostle said:
"I care very little if I'm judged by you or any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
Therefore we wait till the Lord comes... At that time each will receive his praise from God"
| 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 |

A deep lesson can be learnt from this. What people say weighs heavily on me. I used to claim that I didn't care about what people said or thought. But now I realise that they actually do make an impression. As I've mellowed out over the years, I understand that it is important to take into account other people's feelings and their situations. Because what you do & what you say affects others.

Having said that, I feel that I've let myself be carried away by the comments of those around. I mean, who doesn't like to hear a word of praise for a job well done? It is always a welcome thing. But I've become too reliant and desperate for these words of encouragement that it becomes a necessity and takes the place of what I strive for. It becomes the primary goal I lose the anointing because the focus is wrong. It is important to remember that in whatever we do, we only need to please God and to obtain His approval.

~~~ Pearl ~~~
You feel alone, your friends have flown
You're afraid of the truth
When you think of who you are
And who you're meant to be

You cry out to a friend who will understand
The arms of God who can take your hand
And in your darkest fear
A voice whispers in your ear

You are so precious
You are so wondrous
A pearl, once a grain of sand
Held in the Father's hand
Becomes a precious stone
You'll never alone
He can fill your emptiness
He can be your happiness
You are a pearl
| lounge worship 2 |