06/22/2026
Are you tired of the exhausting, never-ending need to be liked?
We’re all human, we crave approval. We want to fit in, to be accepted, to be part of the group. But as the world changes, that deep-seated desire to “go along to get along” often comes at a steep price. We compromise our values, we silence our truths, and we contort ourselves into shapes that weren’t meant for us, all just to avoid rejection.
In this week’s sermon, Fr. Noah looked at some of the most challenging words Jesus ever spoke—the moments where he warned his disciples that following him might actually be disruptive, divisive, and costly.
Why would a message of radical love and justice face such opposition? Because choosing to follow that path requires reorienting our entire sense of worth.
Jesus knew that our fear of not being liked is rooted in a deep existential insecurity. He saw right through the social pressures of his time, and he sees through ours, too. He invites us to do something radical: To plant our sense of self-worth not in the shifting sands of societal approval, but in the stable, unshakable ground of God’s love.
The theologian Paul Tillich once said that the key to faith is simply this: Accepting that you are accepted.
Not because you are perfect. Quite the opposite. But because you are already fully known, deeply loved, and entirely embraced by the only One whose opinion truly matters.
When you really believe that, when you can hear that eternal word of love, you are finally free. Free from the need to perform. Free from the fear of rejection. Free to live with courage, integrity, and grace.
If you’ve been feeling the weight of needing to please others, or if you’re looking for a deeper sense of belonging that doesn’t depend on external validation, this message is for you.
Listen to the full sermon at the link in our bio. 🕊️✨
