We spend so much of our time looking at others and judging what they do or do not do, that we neglect to take time to think about our own lives and what they need and are missing! We are taught all through the Scriptures that we are not to JUDGE! The Bible makes it pretty clear that JUDGING is God’s job! But we live in a world that is constantly judging! About the only time that we are not judging is when we are sleeping and some of us have even learned how to judge in our dreams! The really big problem with all of our judging is that it gets in the way of our own personal growth and keeps us from becoming what God created us to become!
When we are expending our energy looking at and over-analyzing someone else’s life, we cannot truly be focused on ourselves and our life! Sometimes it might seem a lot easier to get into someone else’s business, rather than deal with our own, but the truth is that when we are in someone else’s business, we cannot help but to neglect our own and neglecting our own lives will not cause them to automatically get better. The fact is: Everyone of us have room for improvement and growth! We need to take our eyes off of everybody else and what they are or are not doing and take a look in the mirror at ourselves!
Go and take a look in the mirror! What do you really know about that person that is staring back at you? What is that person’s strengths and how are they using them for good in this world? What is that person’s weaknesses and how are they dealing with them so that ultimately their weaknesses make them stronger?
What does that person staring back at you need to do with their life? What will really bring them happiness and fulfillment? Has that person in the mirror settled for less than the very best that God desires for them? What does that person need to do today to start making their life better?
Spend some time with that person in the mirror and you will discover that they really are special and that they have a life filled with promise! Start dealing with your stuff and you will be amazed at how it not only will change your life, but make a difference in the lives of the people around you as well!
Michael Joe Harvell 
I have a good understanding of not judging people but their deeds. I understand this from my occupation before I retired. However I now do not even try to judge that. I have a hard time understanding God and his purpose for my life now. Why is he leting me go through what I am going through. God has shown to be faithful during this times of financial trials. But I have a hard time of letting everything go. I still want to help control things. It might be because of the power I once had when I was a Judge. How do I let God have total control?
I think my two biggest struggles in life are judging others and wanting control! I think for most of us this is a big part of the battles of life, especially if we have ever been in any kind of place of leadership or authority! When life throws us a curve, it is hard to understand and sometimes even hard to believe that God has a purpose for our lives. But we have to keep our faith in God and in the promises found in His Word. Whenever God allows us to go through something that is bigger than us – we can rest assured that it is a time of helping us to learn to trust in and have faith in Him and His promises. I believe that at this time in our country – a lot of us are coming to a place – where really our best and only option is to trust Him. It is hard to let it go, because we want and even think that we have some ability to control!
In my own life, I battle every day to let go of the reigns and give God control. I start by reminding myself of Who He is and What He has done and can do – through the reading, contemplation and journaling of His Word! I then take some time to pray and ask for His help to let it go, lay it down and walk away! I am getting better at realizing that there are many things that I cannot control no matter how strong, smart and skilled I may think that I am. I am also noticing that as I take my hands off, God puts His hands on and does for me, what I cannot do for myself! Go to the Word and look especially for those promises of God. Go to the Word and remind yourself of all that He has already done for you! Go to the Word and don’t give up, because while it may not turn out the way that you want it to or think that it should, it will turn out and you will see that God was there all the time!
I am praying for you and appreciate your prayers for me! God Bless & Press On!
“MIRROR TIME”
AMEN!…Truly this is one of the hardest things we Christians have to learn. We make plenty of mistakes, bad choices, & decisions before thinking in-depth about situations…Then we have the consequences!…yuk! “learning experiences”, OR we become ‘bitter’ & angry’ with GOD. Having been there & done that, I am happy to say that GOD helped me see, through all the garbage, that HE LOVES ME & CREATED ME FOR HIS PURPOSE. IF/WHEN I LEARN TO ASK FOR HIS WILL & HIS PURPOSE IN MY LIFE, I WILL HAVE PEACE Its not about me anymore, its about GOD. (My life is sooo much better now that I have given up control & started looking at myself.) GOD reveals new ‘stuff’ everyday that I have to work on to become a better Christian. AMEN
It is great – God reveals new stuff and He does not hold the old stuff against us! I am so glad that He is still working on me! And it is excitng to hear about how He is working on, in ad through you – thanks for sharing!
Praise the Lord, I really feel like God moved me to another level yesterday, because I did not realize how we had come up with other names to cover up the act of judging. After the sermon everyone I seen seemed to look differant and I am pretty sure it is because I was finally looking at them as for who they are instead of what I thought they should be, this feels like I was given a new set of eyes. I am enjoying it too. I love reading out of the Message it seems to bring the Word into a more proper perspective. Thanks for sharing what God lays on your heart.
Thanks for letting God speak to you! It actually is amazing how freeing it is to our lives – when we stop judging others! And it is really cool when God takes us to a new place!
I think if we all took a good look in the mirror,we could make some much needed change in our lives.
When I look in the mirror – I am not focusing on how good I think I look, but thinking about how good I can be, if I will deal with the stuff that God is showing me about myself! Let’s spend some time looking in that mirror at what will make us better for His glory and our blessing! Thanks for sharing!