Judgment
"In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me." - 1 Cor 4:3-4
It seems as if Paul doesn't even trust his own judgment of himself, realizing that he doesn't even have the authority to judge himself. He later wrote that the Lord is the one "who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart." (1 Cor 4:5)
We should be so careful as to how we are judging ourselves. We must take great care as to not hold ourselves, nor any other to our own standards of judgment, but instead, hold ourselves in all totality (emotions, actions, motivations, desires, purposes) to the person of Christ and His Word.
This makes matters more difficult when, in every thought I find over-inquisition within me.
"Do I do this or do I do that? What would happen if I do this instead of that?" - laboriously trying to decipher the specific will of God.
I get so bogged down with my options, I end up settling for nothing. More and more I realize that my abundance of options does not make me a "lucky guy", but instead it tempts me with indecisiveness, regretfulness, and fantasy. Regarding decisions I do make, I am tempted to wonder, "What if I would've...?" I then judge my decisions and choices according to those "what ifs", those subjective ponderings, which are not the Word of God, but my own rendition of life and the world as I would create it.
My judgementalism, both of others and of self, displays my problem - my desire for autonomy, living life independent of my Creator.
"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom. 7:24-25)
True, abundant life is found in His created, operating world, not mine, nor yours.
We should be so careful as to how we are judging ourselves. We must take great care as to not hold ourselves, nor any other to our own standards of judgment, but instead, hold ourselves in all totality (emotions, actions, motivations, desires, purposes) to the person of Christ and His Word.
This makes matters more difficult when, in every thought I find over-inquisition within me.
"Do I do this or do I do that? What would happen if I do this instead of that?" - laboriously trying to decipher the specific will of God.
I get so bogged down with my options, I end up settling for nothing. More and more I realize that my abundance of options does not make me a "lucky guy", but instead it tempts me with indecisiveness, regretfulness, and fantasy. Regarding decisions I do make, I am tempted to wonder, "What if I would've...?" I then judge my decisions and choices according to those "what ifs", those subjective ponderings, which are not the Word of God, but my own rendition of life and the world as I would create it.
My judgementalism, both of others and of self, displays my problem - my desire for autonomy, living life independent of my Creator.
"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom. 7:24-25)
True, abundant life is found in His created, operating world, not mine, nor yours.
Comments
Post a Comment