Only One Opinion Matters

[Only One Opinion Matters]( Current Teaching Series [Strategies for Stressful Times]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [Only One Opinion Matters]( By Rick Warren — 12/10/2023 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd%20like%20to%20share%20a%20Daily%20Devotional%20from%20Pastor%20Rick%20with%20you&body= “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14 (NLT) If you’re not sure who you really are, then you can be manipulated and molded by the pressures, problems, and people around you—and that leads to stress! Our culture is constantly trying to fit you into its mold. When you have a confused and unclear identity, when you don’t really know who you are, it makes you more vulnerable to the culture’s influence. Until you settle in your mind that God loves you unconditionally and that you’re a child of God, you’re going to be prone to stress. Jesus never had any doubts about his identity. In fact, 18 times in Scripture he publicly declared who he was. These are called his “I am” statements, like, I am the Light of the World. I am the Son of God. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I am the Bread of Life. Jesus made it clear that he knew exactly who he was. In John 8:18, Jesus said, “I testify on my own behalf” (GNT). He didn’t need other people to tell him who he was. He didn’t look to others for validation. When you depend on other people’s opinions for validation, you can’t be resilient to stress. Because if you don’t know who you are, then other people will decide it for you. They’ll force you into a mold, and you’ll get stressed trying to be someone you’re not. You’ll end up pretending and wearing a mask. It will wear you out! Jesus knew he was the Light of the World. But he also said the same thing about you: “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14 NLT). Do you realize how special you are? Not because of what other people say but because of what God says. There’s nobody in the world exactly like you. You must accept the truth about you—your strengths and your limitations and weaknesses. God made you with all of those things, and he has given you everything you need to do his will. When you accept that, you’ll be secure in your identity and a lot less stressed. [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( Talk It Over - What does it mean to be a child of God? What are the benefits? What are the expectations? - Why should you accept the truth about your weaknesses and not just about your strengths? - Think of a time you based your identity more on what other people said about you than on what God says. What effect did that have on you? The post [Only One Opinion Matters]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd%20like%20to%20share%20a%20Daily%20Devotional%20from%20Pastor%20Rick%20with%20you&body= [Get the Daily Hope Prayer Journal when you give a gift to support Daily Hope!]( God uses your generous support to reach people around the world with the hope of Jesus through Daily Hope—and for a limited time, your gift will be doubled thanks to a $100,000 Matching Grant! And we’ll say thanks for your generosity by sending you a powerful tool to give your prayer life a boost in the year ahead—the brand-new Daily Hope Prayer Journal! This year’s theme, Experiencing God’s Peace will help you tap into God’s power and presence as you discover the keys to praying with passion and purpose. Featuring a soft-touch cover and 235 beautifully designed pages, this journal brings you over 150 life-changing Bible verses, stunning photos, and beautiful artwork. You’ll discover how to have a more vibrant prayer life, connect with the Lord, and establish a consistent daily prayer time. [LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 5 full-length message from Pastor Rick's series Strategies for Stressful Times. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: Finding the Strength to Keep Going When I'm Emotionally Worn Out Message 2: How To Be Happy No Matter What Happens Message 3: How to Trust God When You Don't Like the Changes in Your Life Message 4: How to Keep Your Tank Filled Instead of Running on Empty Message 5: Jesus' Secrets of Resilience [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com]( Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.]( Rick Warren is the founding pastor of [Saddleback Church]( one of America’s largest and most influential churches. Pastor Rick is the author of the New York Times bestseller [The Purpose Driven Life](. His book [The Purpose Driven Church]( was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick created [The PEACE Plan]( to address the five global giants—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. His Daily Hope broadcast and daily devotionals are offered around the world. You can listen to the broadcast or sign up for the free devotionals at [PastorRick.com](. © 2023 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. Sent to: {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, PO Box 80448, Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688, United States