We tend to see ourselves through rose colored glasses and others through a magnify glass.
Why is it that we want everyone else to get their act together to make our lives easier, and yet we ourselves reject the truth from God's Word shining a light into our own lives to bring about a change in us?
James 1:23 says "For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like." The easiest thing in the world is to judge and criticize someone else for what they are doing wrong and to judge their sin, according to us, instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to bring truth our way. The Holy Spirit never encourages our carnal nature - the flesh. The truth is, our carnal desires and nature must die if we long to fellowship with God. Somebody has got to change, and it will not be God. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. (Romans 8:5 - 8:6 NLT). The starting point is the truth. The truth convicts: We are guilty of sin. Conviction is the first step in the cycle of sanctification, and we should expect it and welcome it as it does.
Sometimes the truth hurts, but only for a little while as Godly sorrow brings repentance. Repentance means: To feel sorry for and turn from sin. It's your kindness that leads us to repentance Oh Lord, knowing that you love us, no matter what we do, makes us want to love you too.
As I spend time listening to people, the overall census is that they refuse to take responsibility for their own actions and point the finger at someone else or towards the enemy (Satan), saying, "the devil made me do it!" First of all, the devil can't make you or I do anything. We have a free will, and we need to take responsibility for our own decisions and actions. As Christians, we can say we want truth, and yet when truth comes our way, through hearing the Word of God preached, reading the Bible, or through an appointed leader, we can choose to reject it, convincing ourselves that this is the enemy who is condemning us. I believe many times it is the work of the Holy Spirit trying to bring us truth to help set us free.
We say we want to live for God, but I don't think we understand what's happening to us when God begins to deal with us. When He begins to ask us to walk away from things or lay things down or He begins to cut things off of our lives or separate us from things, we can get confused and end up thinking we are fighting the devil, when in reality we are fighting God. Sin won't die, we have to die to sin.
Galatians 5:24-25 "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
