One of the questions I get asked about the most as a writer is about criticism. And I’ll be honest, criticism is a tough one for me.

When you take a chance and put anything out into the world–be it a book, a piece of art, or even just a thought or idea–you open yourself up to criticism. And the world is RIFE with it. Armchair quarterbacks, as it is, are a dime a dozen. But the author world is especially tricky because part of our industry is built on reviews. A huge part of a book’s visibility lies in the number of reviews it garners on sites such as Goodreads and Amazon. As such, we authors literally BEG people to leave critiques of our work.

And, sometimes, those critiques are not so nice.

So, in a moment of full transparency, I’m going to be real with you: any author who says that negative reviews don’t hurt is lying. Some of us are better at dealing with it than others, but it never feels good to have something you’ve poured your blood, sweat, and tears into for months on end be publicly shredded. Books are highly subjective, and I am under no illusions my work will be every single person’s cup of tea, but some reviews are nasty for the sake of being nasty.

And it hurts.

When I was a new writer, I used to really struggle with this. Like, really struggle. Now, after several years in the industry under my belt, I can honestly say that, while criticism still stings, it no longer pulls me into a spiral.

So, what changed?

Simple: I no longer write for my readers.

But not in the way you might think.

I adore my readers. I absolutely do. I am so grateful for the time they invest in my books, whether by reading or listening, and getting to connect with them via my various social media channels is one of the best parts of my job. I strive to create stories that will move them, inspire them, encourage them, inform them, and bless them wherever they are in their faith journeys.

But I no longer let their approval or disapproval dictate my work.

As a Christian author, I view my books as ministry. I see them as a unique way to speak hope and truth into a world that desperately needs it. As such, I firmly believe that the driving force behind what I write needs to be God and God alone.

So I have chosen not to live for the approval of everyone.

But for the approval of the One.

This has not been an easy mindset to cultivate. But I believe it’s one that essential to all believers, regardless of job. I think Paul said it best in his letter to the Galatians when he said, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (1:10-12).

As Christians living in a fallen world, we have to be okay with our obedience to Christ not being okay to others. Walking with the Spirit is going to make some people uncomfortable. It’s going to make some people confused. And it’s even going to make some people mad. And, if we overly concern ourselves with others’ reactions, it is all too easy to step back from obedience in order to appease the masses.

But that’s not what God wants from us. He wants our heart. He wants our love for Him to overwhelm everything else and for that love to spill over into an obedience that supersedes anything the world can throw at us. He wants us to surrender it all at the cross–our jobs, hobbies, thoughts, actions, fears–and put His kingdom first, no matter what.

So there may be unbelievers out there who don’t like that I write stories from a Christian perspective. And I know there’s believers out there who don’t like the things I write about, how I write about them, or maybe even the choice of words I use. But, while I hope my books reach the widest audience possible, I am no longer bound by the desperate need of the their approval.

As long as I have God’s, I’m doing just fine.