Unblurred with Muzi Mthethwa

In our digital age, the pursuit of applause has become one of the most quiet yet powerful gods of our culture. Not just applause in physical rooms, but likes, shares, hearts, comments social validation that drives us to work harder, compare deeper, and even lose ourselves in the process. We pursue achievements not only to accomplish but to be applauded. We do good deeds, not only to bless others but to be seen doing them. We share our moments, not only to connect but to be admired for them. This desire for applause touches every demographic, from teens seeking social likes to adults chasing praise at work, in ministry, online, and in life. But at what cost? The Quest for Applause Is Nothing New but It’s More Visible Now Scripture makes it clear that even in Jesus’ day people were tempted to seek human praise instead of God’s approval. Jesus said: “ For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.” John 12:43   And again: “How can you believe… if you accept glor...

  By Muzi Mthethwa Year after year, we count the blessings. We also count the failures. And, of course, we count the almost  the opportunities that came close but never quite landed, the prayers that felt unanswered, the dreams that stalled just before the finish line. Reflection is important. It grounds us. It reminds us where we’ve been. But reflection becomes dangerous when it turns into comparison. Too often, as we look back, we don’t only measure ourselves against our past we measure ourselves against other people’s journeys. Their progress. Their timelines. Their applause. And without realizing it, we step out of our own lane and into a race we were never meant to run. Tuning Your Own Race Doing better in the future does not start with competing harder. It starts with tuning your race. Tuning your race means adjusting your focus, your pace, your discipline, and your obedience. It means understanding that growth is not about speed but about direction. Whe...