Can We Stop Apologizing?
There are things you and I absolutely should apologize for. When we mistreat someone, an apology is in order. When we let our selfishness keep us from giving someone close to us the attention they deserve, we should say, “I’m sorry”. This isn’t what I’m writing about today. Here’s the big idea for today:
Stop apologizing for who you are.
There’s an unstated pressure so many of us feel. For some reason, we feel like we have to fit into everyone’s image or mold for who we should be. If you keep letting everyone around you be your judge, then you’ll always be too much for some people and not enough for others. And you’ll spend so much time and energy apologizing for who you are or who you aren’t. Let me give you some specific things to stop apologizing for.
Stop apologizing for what comes easy to you, but is difficult for everyone else. One way you can know whether or not something is a natural gift you have is by observing what comes easy to you, but is hard for most other people. If it has been given to you, it’s a gift. Don’t take credit for it if it was given to you by your Creator; but also, don’t apologize for it if it was given to you by your Creator.
Stop apologizing for not being passionate about what other people want you to care about so deeply. I used to feel guilty when I didn’t share the same passion as someone else for a specific cause. But here’s the reality - I’m not supposed to be passionate about most causes in the world. There have been unique passions placed within me that are related to what I should give my heart, time, and life to. I also need to make sure I’m not asking others to apologize when they don’t share a passion for the same things I do.
Stop apologizing for narrowing your focus, even when everyone else encourages you to try to be well-rounded. There is so much noise in our world today and some of us are convinced that we’re supposed to keep up with all of it. I’ve just entered a new season of my calling and I’m letting go of a lot of things I used to give my energy to. I realize this won’t make everyone happy, but I’m not going to apologize for it.
Stop apologizing for how you spend your time, especially to those who are asking for more than you’re giving them. Similar to the focus one, I am more strategic about how I spend my time than I’ve ever been in my life. Unfortunately this now means that I receive some criticism when I tell a person that I can’t meet with them. I don’t blame them for asking or for even being frustrated that I’m not making time for them. At the same time, I refuse to apologize for how I’m spending my time these days. To spend time with them in this season would take me away from the people and assignments I’m convinced are mine for the foreseeable future.
Can you picture yourself experiencing all of the newfound freedom you’ll discover as soon as you stop apologizing for things you don’t need to?
