Boldness is required if you're ever to be led by God! Why? Because He may direct you to do things that others don't understand or agree with. Insecure people tend to feel safer doing what others do. They're fearful of breaking the mould or standing alone. Anytime you step outside the boundaries of what others think is wise or proper, you risk rejection. But you mustn't allow that to keep you from fulfilling your God-given purpose.

Confronting criticism becomes a little easier when you remember that ultimately "every one of us shall give an account of himself to God." Sure it hurts to be criticised, but if you're to succeed at anything you must have the same attitude Paul had. Listen: "I am not the least concerned with the fact that you are deciding what is right and what is wrong with me... Neither you nor anyone else can put me down unless I first put myself down (and I'm not doing that)... though I don't know of anything against me, my ignorance doesn't mean that I am correct in my appraisal, because the final evaluation is in God's hands" (1Co 4:3-4 Ben Campbell-Johnston para).

Secure people can handle being the only ones doing something. They can also allow others that same choice, because they know we have been called to accept one another - not analyse and categorise one another! Please don't grow old and feel like somewhere along the way you lost yourself, and never succeeded at being who God called you to be.