Wow…what a day it was – I was having a really big spiritual battle yesterday morning that carried all the way into the afternoon.
I am still thanking God right now for blessing me with such an understanding, patient, and most of all God fearing wife-to-be.
Basically, it was brought to my attention that I was being judgmental … I thought, there’s no way, this is what is going on and continued to rationalize my thinking.
Ashley reminded me we are to love God and love people.
I told her that I was convinced that I was being loving and that discipline is one of the purest forms of love, which I still believe is true, but what I learned is that it only can be used when you are given permission or have authority – otherwise the result is counter to what you were going for (as it was in this situation).
When I try to use disciplinary love out of context, essentially it is judging and this is what blew my mind – the fact that I had pure intentions but was still being seen as very judgmental.
Then she pulled out the definition of love – patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, not proud, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil, rejoices in the truth, protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres, and never fails.
Judging is the cognitive process of forming an opinion or conclusion about and Jesus warns us against this over and over – I even posted a blog about this less than a month ago! – and yet still, I had formed a conclusion based on another persons actions (in my time, not God’s).
Nevertheless, I can look back and see how God has used it for good by creating the situations that exist today – now, I have the opportunity to show the person that I was judging how Christ loves them and me still.
So, this is what I learned yesterday…
Instead of trying to convince somebody they need to change, try convincing them of God’s love for them right here, right now so that they want to change – the Holy Spirit is powerful, believe.
These were the questions I was struggling with:
Are you supposed to share with others the guidelines (good and bad’s) that have been revealed to you via The Truth?
Are you supposed to be kind (love) still when somebody is “spitting” in Jesus’ face? How about when they are OK with it?
Are you supposed to not even see any sort of sin when you look at a person because you are not the one who is going to judge them for that when the time comes?
How can I just sit by knowing that somebody is missing out on unfathomable peace and eternity with Jesus without stepping in and saying something!?
ltlo
rlowenfield
samuel miles
