When They Don’t Respect Your Faith

Let me tell you…one of the hardest things I’ve had to learn is how to deal with people who just don’t respect or understand my faith. And I’m not talking about strangers online or someone I met in passing—I mean people close to me. People who should know my heart, but instead, hit me with sarcasm, jabs, or passive-aggressive comments whenever the topic of my faith comes up.

And it hurts. Not because I need everyone to agree with me, but because it’s hard when people dismiss or attack something that means everything to me.

There were times I’d try to explain, try to defend, and I’d find myself going in circles—frustrated, upset, and honestly just emotionally drained. But I’ve come to realize that not every conversation is worth having. Not every person actually wants to understand.

Now, don’t get me wrong—there are moments when someone truly doesn’t know what we believe, and they’re asking from a genuine place. And in those moments, I’m more than happy to share what I’ve learned and what the Church teaches. But you can usually tell when it shifts. When it becomes less about understanding and more about trying to pick apart or mock.

And that’s where I’ve had to draw the line.

These days, I’ve learned to simply say something like, “I’m not going to argue about my faith. I respect your right to believe differently, and I ask that you do the same for me.” And then I leave it at that.

It doesn’t mean I’m weak or unsure. It means I’ve learned the peace that comes with protecting my heart and not needing to explain myself to people who aren’t open to hearing the truth in love.

We can defend our faith with grace. We can explain when someone’s genuinely curious. But we don’t have to let ourselves be pulled into every debate. God never asked us to fight every battle. Sometimes, He just asks us to walk away and let Him handle it.

The enemy loves to stir division—especially when it comes to faith. He knows how to use pride and ego on both sides to turn what could’ve been a meaningful conversation into a full-blown argument. But we don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Our job is to stay rooted in truth, walk in love, and know when to speak and when to be silent.

There’s so much misinformation out there about Catholicism. And yes, it’s frustrating when someone who’s never studied the faith tries to tell you what you believe. But instead of letting that fuel anger, I’ve had to learn to let it fuel compassion. Pray for them. Ask God to soften their hearts. And then get back to living out my faith in a way that speaks louder than any words ever could.

You’ll know when it’s time to speak. And you’ll know when it’s time to step back. Trust the Holy Spirit to lead you.

Because at the end of the day, my relationship with God doesn’t depend on whether someone else understands it. And neither does yours.

Lord, help me stay rooted in You, even when others don’t understand or respect what I believe. Give me wisdom to know when to speak and when to walk away. Let my faith be steady, my heart be soft, and my words be full of grace. Teach me how to reflect You in every response—even the hard ones.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.