Thankful for the Voices That Hurt Me
Their rejection built my resilience
Dear Voices That Hurt Me,
For a long time, your words echoed louder than God’s truth.
I carried your opinions like prophecy,
your insults like identity,
your silence like evidence that I wasn’t enough.
You said I was too much, too loud, too sensitive, too spiritual, too ambitious.
But now I see—you weren’t describing me;
you were describing your discomfort with my calling.
And even though it hurt, I thank you.
Because your rejection forced me to hear God for myself.
Your absence revealed who was truly assigned to my life.
Your criticism became the chisels that shaped my character.
You taught me that confidence built on validation will crumble,
but confidence rooted in identity will last forever.
I don’t need your applause anymore.
I’ve learned to clap for my own growth.
Every lie you spoke pushed me toward truth.
Every door you closed sent me to the One that never locks.
Every time you made me doubt myself, Heaven whispered, “Daughter, you’re still Mine.”
So I release you—without resentment.
Because if you hadn’t hurt me,
I might have stayed where I didn’t belong.
If you hadn’t underestimated me,
I might have settled for less than I was born for.
Now, I use your words as kindling for my purpose.
I use your doubt as proof that I was never meant to fit in.
And I use my healing as a testimony that God can turn wounds into wisdom.
So yes—I’m thankful for you.
You pushed me to find my voice when I didn’t think I had one.
You made me see that God’s opinion will always outweigh man’s approval.
I don’t despise the pain anymore.
I honor it.
Because it taught me to love myself louder than your lies.
💖 Prayer
Lord, thank You for healing the parts of me wounded by others’ words.
Teach me to walk in love without shrinking.
Let my forgiveness be a weapon of freedom.
May my peace be louder than their opinions.
💭 Journal Prompt
Who are the “voices” you need to release?
Write them down—not to relive the hurt, but to reclaim your power.
Then write this declaration beneath them:
“Their words no longer define me. God’s truth does.”
🦋 Unmute. Heal. Amplify.
Dr. Apostle Anita McDaniel