What's Behind it All?

Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37 (New King James Version)

I use to call it perception and felt it was my biggest hindrance to walking in joy and freedom. It was my label for having an idea about what someone was thinking and then responding as if it were the truth. Last night, God used my most recent experience as a wake up call to me. As I struggled to fall asleep and began allowing Him to reveal my heart to me, He wasted no time in pinpointing the problem. Perception was the symptom of a deeper problem. It was being fed by nothing short of judging another individual.

With a little word study, I found that judging means to be of an opinion about someone or something. Condemn means to pronounce one guilty. My perceptions are actually the process of judging and my negative response is the process of condemning. If I struggle with other issues such as insecurity, jealousy, or discontentment, the processes are even more profound.

So how does this work in my life? I enter a room and draw the conclusion that someone does not care about me or want me there by something that is done or not done, said or not said, and WHAM court is officially in session. The “evidence” mounts as every action or word becomes “proof” that my feelings and thoughts are based on truth. In my mind, there is a verdict of guilt and the sentence is to withdraw into a mode of silence and detachment. While my demeanor is noticed it is not understood at all because the individual has no idea they have done anything…and they haven’t.

It is not easy to see this aspect of myself and it is not easy to take the necessary steps of acknowledging it to God and the person who has been in my “courtroom”. Not easy but necessary and very beneficial. I cannot express how much of a load is lifted from my mind and heart when I speak words such as, “I have judged you and I am wrong. Will you forgive me?” As that took place over the phone last night, forgiveness was forthcoming and the courtroom of my doing was cleared.

Let me add, that for those times when someone really doesn’t care about me or want me around, God’s answer is that I walk in forgiveness. I don’t know their heart. I don’t know what’s behind their actions. At that point, I must choose to forgive and entrust them to God to show them their particular issue. Freedom for me will only come as I stay out of the courtroom of judgment and prison of unforgiveness.

Father, keep showing me the heart issues behind my words, thoughts, and actions. Amen.

Potter's Hand - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdkfXhnqbos&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.