Judged

Hey, y’all, it’s Daisy. Today, I just want to share a little bit of what I wrote in my Alone With God journal. If you do not have an Alone With God journal, then please get one at wordbymail.com. I take it with me everywhere. It is my most prized possession because you never know when you’re going to need to stop and just spend some alone time with God. So, I just keep mine in my purse, and it’s the best thing that I own. That being said, I just want to share a little bit of what I wrote in my journal.

Psalm 103:8-13 (CEB)
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful, very patient, and full of faithful love.
9 God won’t always play the judge; he won’t be angry forever.
10 He doesn’t deal with us according to our sin or repay us according to our wrongdoing,
11 because as high as heaven is above the earth, that’s how large God’s faithful love is for those who honor him.
12 As far as east is from west—that’s how far God has removed our sin from us.
13 Like a parent feels compassion for their children—that’s how the Lord feels compassion for those who honor him.

I went to the fair this weekend, and I found myself wandering around the baking competition tables because that is my favorite part of the fair. And, as I tasted samples of brownies, and cookies, and apple pies, I started thinking about judgment because what else do you do at a fair besides think about judgment?

But as humans, we often see judgment as a comparison game or a way to pass shame on to others. But what does judgment look like from God’s perspective because his ways are not our ways? I think that Psalm 103 perfectly sums it up. God’s judgment has always been a tool of rebirth. It is not a tool to destroy but to enlighten and to draw us closer to him. His judgment is nothing short of compassionate and merciful. His judgment IS his love being activated in our lives so that we can be redeemed. It is a judgment that transforms and that brings glory to the Kingdom.

So, here are my questions that I asked myself. Think about a time when someone’s love changed you for the better. Maybe it was uncomfortable. Maybe you felt exposed by the truth. But in what ways can you reimagine moments of judgment in your own life and refine it in a way that reflects the love and mercy of God?

So, I started thinking about times where my mom said something, or my grandmother said something, or I said something to myself – I judged myself. And I want to take all of those moments that were painful, where I felt like I was being judged in a harsh way, in a way that was stealing my light, and I want to revisit those moments and think about what God was trying to show me. How was God trying to transform me? How was it actually the most loving judgment? Even if maybe it didn’t come in a pretty package. Maybe the wording was off, but how was God trying to unveil something in me so that I could work on it?

So, that was what I was focused on today. You are welcome to steal that little question section if you would like to. But I would love to close us out in prayer. And I would just love to pray for you.

Let’s pray. God, thank you. Thank you for modeling true love to us throughout your Word. Thank you for washing over our lives with your grace, and your mercy, and your understanding. Refine us and help us to judge the world in a way that is constructive, and peaceful, and honest, and holy. Help us not to become self-righteous or vindictive in our opinions. And help us to lead others to the Cross instead of nailing them to it. In Jesus’ name, amen.