What someone might think

[pastor's wife]

Great thread. Great thoughts.

I think it comes from a misunderstanding of the verse "avoid all appearance of evil." And yes, it ends up causing sensitive souls to become more focused on what other people are thinking than about what God wants us to do. And as Discovering Life pointed out, we do then also get the message about pleasing God, not man and we're left stymied and frustrated, unable to do what we're being told is the only way to please God.

It's horrible and very real. I'm finally learing to shake free of this, but it's been hard (reference some of my previous posts about the "voice" I hear in my head! lol Not a real voice of course, but all the disapproving, fearful, condemning comments that I've spent my life living up until now.)