Monday, February 15, 2010
Judgement
Hi everyone. I just wanted pass along a story of encouragement. This pass weekend I had a friend over from out of town, and honestly he is not doing very well at all. The unfortunate thing is that he thinks he is. As I am in the middle of confronting the issues with him he started to get angry with me. I asked why he was getting so upset. He said that he always feels like everyone was in judgement of his current state I was doing the same thing. He said he was disappointed that now I was no different than everyone else. I had to remind him that I was a safe place, however just as correction comes from a place of love I had to ask for forgiveness for sounding judgemental and reiterate my purpose; to speak the truth in love. In application, Jesus' story of the adulterous woman that was being stoned is a perfect fit to this situation (John 8:3-11). The heart of the story is this... I can expect to be judged by the same measure I judge others. As I was explaining this as also being my heart in his situation and that in the story through the love that Jesus expressed there was also a revelation as to sins committed. Just because we come across situations of correction through mercy doesn't mean that correction doesn't sting. I want to encourage you all by saying this... Speak the truth in love and be willing to receive it though it may be painful. This simple maybe mundane truth just may begin the process of defining our character as "followers" of Jesus. By the way, when I finished saying all this; the enemy's attempts of creating more segregation in my friends life were broken and restoration took place to the extent that he trusted me more than when he came... Be encouraged this week, and please pray for me this week as Im not feeling well... Big surprise huh?
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Wow. Thanks for sharing Rachel! That was really encouraging and just what I needed. I've been struggling with a similar issue- the whole confrontation/in love is a really challenge. It does sting and it really is hard. But it's good to hear that it can go well. I'm proud of you for really acting out what God has been placing in front of us as challenges and areas to grow.
ReplyDeleteWay to go and you're in my prayers! We command sickness to leave Rachel's body in Jesus' name!
Thanks for sharing Rachel. In some ways I feel like I'm in a place where I kind of want correction, or someone to tell me to do something or stop doing something. I guess I'm desiring authority and it's being active in my life. God has placed authorities in my life and they are more active than they were last year. This is something I really struggled with and got angry at God for that being absent... only to realize that He was wanting to take that place more than any other. So I suspect this still may be the case.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I've come to realize in being in my workplace, with people coming from various backgrounds culturally, and it's helped reading the Speaking Truth with Love Book, is that people aren't speaking as strongly as it tonally sounds to me. Oftentimes the actual words and tones are unrealized to having meaning... and even if they do speak strongly it isn't to be take offensively (which is something I often do).
I admit I am overly sensitive... or this is what I've been told, and when receiving criticism, constructive or otherwise, I have a tendency to take offensive and hold grudges towards others. Struggling to realize that there are changes that I do indeed need to make.