Reason #743
Aaron loves to talk as much as I do, and fortunately, for me, he's also good at listening. Even though we're both naturally conservationists, we've still had to work on our communication skills. You always think you're an incredible communicator until someone gets to communicate with you in every mood and on a daily basis. It's then that you find out you've got to tweak your skills a little bit, but only if you're looking to improve your communication.
Well, as I shared last Wednesday, I came home feeling pretty defeated. I had sat through a really rough bible study. Rough in a challenging sense. And I couldn't decide if I felt convicted or condemned. The refining process is never easy, and I knew there were some things I needed to change. Both condemnation and conviction are tough things to deal with, but this was unusually tough and I was discouraged in a big way. I didn't want to share my thoughts with Aaron because I didn't want him to know what goes on in my head, but I finally caved. We turned out the lights to go to bed, and I took my last opportunity to get it off my chest. He listened to all of my thoughts and concerns and he said something I had never considered before. He said, "If it's condemning, if you're feeling worthless and have a negative view of yourself, it's not from the Lord. God's word is convicting but in a peaceful and uplifting way. There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ." (Romans 8:1)
But that's the thing, we hear these little condemning voices all the time. These little voices reminding us of how broken and useless we are. Telling us that we'll never be enough, that we'll never be anything good for that matter. Those condemning lies that say, "It's too late now. You're too far gone. Look at you. What a wreck. You could never be pleasing to Him. You could never be perfect in His sight." It's that voice that holds us back. That voice holds us down. And we're trapped because we believe that it's the truth and we just don't see how we can ever break free.
But that's not His voice. That's not the voice of truth. That's not the voice we need to be listening to. Because God's word never says anything about you being completely worthless, too far gone, useless or without purpose. In fact, it says the complete opposite. It says that you are valuable, treasured, chosen, blameless, useful, purpose filled, gifted, talented, and precious in His sight. His voice tell us that we're enough because we're His. That we're perfect because we're made in His image. There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ.
And so we have to believe that truth or we'll never break free of condemnation. We have to know God's word and then take Him at it. And when we begin to believe the lies, we stop and we ask for truth. Because God is the giver of truth if we'll be willing to listen to it. Take it to heart, the peace He speaks. Search for it, let it drown out the lies. Because the only things worth listening to, worth dwelling on and clinging to, are the things from the Lord. Any other words can go in one ear and out the other because there's too many good things about you to give attention to the lies that try and convince you otherwise.
#743 - Because He doesn't speak with condemnation but with peaceful and encouraging conviction.
"The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth." - Proverbs 12:22
Well, as I shared last Wednesday, I came home feeling pretty defeated. I had sat through a really rough bible study. Rough in a challenging sense. And I couldn't decide if I felt convicted or condemned. The refining process is never easy, and I knew there were some things I needed to change. Both condemnation and conviction are tough things to deal with, but this was unusually tough and I was discouraged in a big way. I didn't want to share my thoughts with Aaron because I didn't want him to know what goes on in my head, but I finally caved. We turned out the lights to go to bed, and I took my last opportunity to get it off my chest. He listened to all of my thoughts and concerns and he said something I had never considered before. He said, "If it's condemning, if you're feeling worthless and have a negative view of yourself, it's not from the Lord. God's word is convicting but in a peaceful and uplifting way. There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ." (Romans 8:1)
But that's the thing, we hear these little condemning voices all the time. These little voices reminding us of how broken and useless we are. Telling us that we'll never be enough, that we'll never be anything good for that matter. Those condemning lies that say, "It's too late now. You're too far gone. Look at you. What a wreck. You could never be pleasing to Him. You could never be perfect in His sight." It's that voice that holds us back. That voice holds us down. And we're trapped because we believe that it's the truth and we just don't see how we can ever break free.
But that's not His voice. That's not the voice of truth. That's not the voice we need to be listening to. Because God's word never says anything about you being completely worthless, too far gone, useless or without purpose. In fact, it says the complete opposite. It says that you are valuable, treasured, chosen, blameless, useful, purpose filled, gifted, talented, and precious in His sight. His voice tell us that we're enough because we're His. That we're perfect because we're made in His image. There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ.
And so we have to believe that truth or we'll never break free of condemnation. We have to know God's word and then take Him at it. And when we begin to believe the lies, we stop and we ask for truth. Because God is the giver of truth if we'll be willing to listen to it. Take it to heart, the peace He speaks. Search for it, let it drown out the lies. Because the only things worth listening to, worth dwelling on and clinging to, are the things from the Lord. Any other words can go in one ear and out the other because there's too many good things about you to give attention to the lies that try and convince you otherwise.
#743 - Because He doesn't speak with condemnation but with peaceful and encouraging conviction.
"The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth." - Proverbs 12:22