Sometimes people try to play the part of God in our lives.
Other times we assign people the part of God in our lives.
Judgment crushes our sense of self-worth and can throw us into a tail spin. I know some bloggers who are no longer “bloggers” for the Christian world because they didn’t want to have so much judgment dumped onto them.
When a prominent Christian marriage expert and author told me I was selfish and inconsiderate toward my wife because I continued to pursue a writing career, I spent days stewing on his condemnation. And being perfectly honest, I really hated him until I could let go and forgive him. I’m over it, but let me tell you, I avoid that guy like the plague because judgment is a plague.
Judgment is also infuriating. It undermines what God has spoken into our lives, attacks our sense of self worth, and leaves us in an isolating anger. When someone judges me, I can only see my own life and that other person. I want to justify myself and I want to prove that other person wrong. Better yet, I want to invalidate and discredit the other person.
I want to attack.
I want to win.
This is a vicious cycle that will only break us further.
If I sit with judgment by myself too long, misery will follow. I won’t come to God for any number of reasons: I’m not in the mood, I’m not “God” material, etc.
I have found over and over again, especially with mean online comments, that I have to keep prying my hands off the situation. There are a hundred things that are better for me, and for everyone really, but I don’t want to believe it.
Rather than praising myself as an empty attempt at self-justification, focusing on the worship of God alone will restore my priorities. Better yet, the affirmation that comes from God is more powerful than any judgment.
Rather than tearing down others, I can pray that whatever wounds in their lives lead them to judgment will be healed and restored completely. Perhaps one day they will be encouragers who speak words of life or prayer warriors who speak on behalf of others to God rather than thinking they speak for God.
Worse yet, if we stew in enough judgment, it will start to infect us. The only cure is the unconditional acceptance of God. Only until we believe we are accepted by God will we have any hope in defeating judgment with faith, hope, and love.
Photo cc by Potatojunkie on Flickr.