Don't judge!

When you see someone doing something that's wrong, how quickly do you condemn them? Why are we so quick to judge and condemn when it isn't our place at all to do so.

¹¹Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law, and judges the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
 ¹²There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judges another? (James 4:11-12)

My lovely friend Chelsea Z. was just over and we were talking about this, about our old church and how we see some problems, but as we talked we encouraged and reminded each other that it is not our place to judge them but rather to pray for them and to pray that we would not condemn our brothers and sisters in Christ. I personally feel like I have no right to point the finger at anyone but myself. I am accountable to God only for the things that I do and say- I'm not accountable for anyone else and I do not know their hearts. Who am I to speak evil of my family in God? Who am I to say that I'm better than them or have it more figured out? Maybe I'm wrong and they're right... or maybe what really matters is where my heart is. That's how God judges us, on our hearts. If our hearts are right then the rest of our life will come into alignment for, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34) and all of our actions follow what is in our hearts.
One key thing I want to say before I move on is this, judging and discernment are two different things. If we see the fruit of someone is bad we know to pray for them and love them and be careful around them. For me this is very important since my walk with God is not as strong as it should be and it is easy for me to fall prey to sin if I surround myself with sinful people. Being wise is a good thing, making boundaries about the things you should and shouldn't do can be good, especially if you're in the place that I'm in. However, if you have the strength to be around those people and show them Christ's love then it is your job to do that. It is selfish and wrong to hold in the Word, grace and love that God has given you.
"Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin." James 4:17

We were also talking about our lives and just following God on a day to day basis. If you've been reading my blog you know that I've made plans for college and originally did it without any blessing or permission from God but He has given me grace and not told me to stop on the path that I've headed down.
This is the verse God gave me concerning my future, "A person may plan his own journey, but the LORD directs his steps." (Prov. 16:9)
Going right along with that I read these verses today in my quiet time,

"Go to now, you all that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

 Where as you all know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

 For that you all ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." (James 4:13-15)

It is a great comfort to know that my life is resting safely in God's hands; I don't know what tomorrow will bring or if there will even be a tomorrow, but I do know that I belong to Jesus and that He is faithful to guide my steps.

"⁶But He gives more grace. Because of this he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.
 ⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
 ⁸Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
 ⁹Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
 ¹⁰Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." James 4:6-10

If we put ourselves in alignment with God, humble ourselves before Him, draw near to Him, obey, honor and submit to Him; He is so faithful to give grace, to draw near to us, to send the devil running away with his tail between his knees, to lift us up and direct our steps. Besides all of that, He gives us His love of which we are so unworthy. He has called us His children now! What an awesome God we serve!


I'm really encouraged and it was cool that in my quiet time James 4 was the chapter to read because that's what Chelsea and I were talking about. Made my heart happy and I thought it would encourage all of you as well. I know that it's easy to talk about all of this and some people may say it's easier to talk about than to do, but talking about it encourages our minds to stay on these things. I'm not perfect, and I don't always submit, obey or draw near to Him, but remembering His promises and sharing them with the world helps me to act upon His promises.

Stay strong my sisters and brothers... we serve a wonderful Savior, an Almighty God who loves us. Let us  remember our place, that we were never called to judge or condemn, but to lay those things at His feet and trust that He is a big enough God to handle other people. Love you all!!!! Leave me any comments/thoughts that you have on this subject.