Not Everyone Will Clap

There’s this unspoken joy that comes with good news—the kind that makes you want to shout it from the rooftops, call your people, and watch their faces light up as you share. But what happens when the people you want to share it with aren’t happy for you? Or worse, they question you, pick apart your decision, or bring up past attempts that didn’t work out?

I know that feeling. I’ve been there. It’s even harder when it’s someone close to you—someone whose approval means something. It’s not just some random person throwing shade; it’s someone who has a seat at your table, someone you want to see proud of you. But instead of celebration, you’re met with skepticism. Instead of excitement, you’re handed questions like, “I thought GOD told you the last time that this was the dream? What happened to that?” And suddenly, that joy you had starts to feel heavy. It’s almost like you have to explain why you even dared to dream again.

It hurts. It makes you second-guess everything. You find yourself rethinking your choices, wondering if maybe you are just spinning your wheels. Maybe what GOD told you was wrong—or maybe you just heard HIM wrong. That’s the space doubt loves to creep into, feeding off the negativity that was handed to you by someone you trusted.

I’ve cried over it. I’ve questioned myself, wondering why the people closest to me can’t just be happy when I’m happy. Why is it that every time I try to move forward, there’s a reminder of what didn’t work last time? But here’s the thing I had to learn—not everyone is assigned to understand your journey. And just because someone is close to you doesn’t mean they’re equipped to appreciate what GOD is doing in your life.

“Do not throw your pearls before swine.” — Matthew 7:6.

That scripture used to sound harsh to me, but now I get it. Pearls are valuable, precious, and beautiful—just like your dreams and the vision GOD gave you. But if you hand them over to someone who can’t see their worth, they’ll get trampled. Not because the pearls aren’t valuable, but because the person holding them doesn’t understand their value.

And sometimes, the person who doesn’t understand is someone you love. That’s the hard part. We expect support from those closest to us, but sometimes, they can’t see it. And that’s okay. I had to learn to protect my dreams even from those I love. I had to stop handing over my pearls just to watch them be stepped on. I learned to hold them close, to celebrate even when I’m the only one clapping.

If you’re going through that right now, I want you to know that your vision is valid. GOD gave it to you, not them. Your journey is real, even if they don’t understand it. And you have every right to protect your dreams from negativity, even if it’s coming from familiar voices.

Keep walking forward in faith. Protect your pearls. Celebrate your wins. Because what GOD gave you is worth guarding, even if nobody else can see it yet.