Defined By My Creator

Have you ever heard someone make jokes like this to a quiet person? “Hey [insert name], can you take it down a notch? You’re being so loud?” Or “[Insert name] Why are you talking so much?” People like to make jokes like this to me when I am being quiet…even though that is naturally how I am.

I always just laugh it off and act like I’ve never heard it before in my life and act like it’s never bothered me—though I’ve heard it a million times and it absolutely drives me crazy when people make this joke.

I know that they don’t mean it to be negative and they aren’t trying to make me feel bad. Yet they don’t realize the negative effect that it has on me.

Because people make this joke about me being quiet (or even shy)—which I have been my entire life—I often feel trapped under the label of “being a quiet (or shy) person.” When this happens, I often feel like I have to be quiet…because, well, that’s what people expect of me…right?

NO! That isn’t what people expect of me and I don’t have to be quiet all of the time!

Let me stop here and say this: it is OKAY to be a naturally quiet person! You don’t have to feel guilty for being the person God wired you to be.

“For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14, NIV)

Even though you may be naturally quiet, that doesn’t mean you can’t speak up from time to time. You’re allowed to speak up when you need to do so. Don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed.

God will give you the courage to speak up when you need to share—He has done it for me every time I have raised my hand to speak up in class and every time I have given a speech (especially my 30-minute senior presentation!).

Since I have lived a lot of my life under the assumption that everyone ‘expects me to be quiet,’ it has been a challenge for me to speak up in most ‘normal’ situations—like classes at school, Bible studies, among others.

It has also made it difficult for me to be bold in my faith—since I am often analyzing how people will and are viewing me. Will they judge me for speaking up since I’m supposed to be ‘the quiet girl’?

Typing this out—and saying it aloud—does make this sound crazy and irrational. Yet, this is a genuine and real fear that I struggle with.

I let my identity be controlled by the words and labels that others have spoken over me.

When I try to be bold in sharing my faith, and even just speaking up in general, I often stop myself. I tell myself the lie that I can’t share my faith or my thoughts because “I’m not an outspoken person.”

Let me tell you about a person in the Bible (in the Old Testament) who did amazing things for God. Someone who led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt all the way to the edge of the promise land. Someone who also struggled with the fear of speaking up and being bold.

This someone was named Moses.

In Exodus 4, God met with Moses in a burning bush. He called Moses to confront the Pharaoh of Egypt and ask for him to free Israelites from their bondage of slavery.

However, Moses tried to decline by giving God all sorts of excuses:

He claimed that he wasn’t eloquent enough to speak to Pharaoh.
He also told God that he was slow of speech.

Therefore, in Moses’ eyes, he couldn’t lead the people of Israel—even though God called him to do just that.

Well, God didn’t buy the excuses Moses gave Him. He asked,

“Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Exodus 4:11-12, NIV)

This story of Moses being called by God has both encouraged and convicted me in this area of my life—speaking up and being bold despite what others say about or think of me.

I like to try and make the excuse that since I’m quiet, I don’t need to speak because someone else will probably say what needs to be said.

But that’s a lie!

I can and should speak up! And so should you!

The words of the Lord in Exodus 4:11-12 reminds me that God will help me (and you) speak in every and all situations. Not only will He give me (and you) the words to say, but He will also give me (and you) the strength to share them.

Perhaps God has given me (or you) the answer or the idea to share because He wants me (or you) to share it…not someone else.

We don’t need to let the words of others—positive or negative—stop us from being bold.

The One who created our mouths will help us speak, and He will teach us what we need to say when we need to say it.

So friend, go out there today and BE BOLD because the CREATOR has GIVEN you words to share with someone and the means by which to speak them!

*This blog post is adapted from a devotional that I gave at a young adults’ worship night in the summer of 2022.