I have run into soo many people that I grew up with or went to school with.. I see them hurting, numbing themselves from pain, trauma, guilt & shame of things done to them or things they have done to themselves. Each person hangs their head low. The guilt, judgment, doubt in themselves is heavy. Each say… *I feel judged * or *everyone in that town is a hypocrite * or *everyone wants something to talk about, might as well be me* ect….
Thing is… We have all felt that way at some point or another. There isn’t one person free from sin, or mistakes, or trauma, or addiction, or just bad judgment… Not one of us!
So you can’t really blame the hypocrite, anymore than you can blame, the saint, the thing , or the one that harmed you, or yourself. You can’t blame the addict, or blame sinner just because they sin differently than you…
No more than one can blame the community or town or city or family or Christian for one’s own burden of guilt, shame, self doubt.
No one town, not Appomattox, or Campbell County, or Amherst, or Bedford or City of Lynchburg has or possess the ability to judge you or anyone.
Neither can smaller towns, Gladestone, Bent Creek, Timberlake, Rivermont, Prospect, Aspen…. ect…. you get the idea!
Neither can your family, children, friends, or church!
There is only one person outside of God who can judge you…. That is you!
You layer on the burden of guilt, shame, judgment, despair. You take off the armor of hope, love, forgiveness, & redemption.
You weigh yourself, your soul, your spirit down with these things, to avoid dealing with the anger, rage, hurt, emotions from your trauma, mistakes, sins, addictions.
It is easier to be distracted by pointing fingers, giving stares, passing whispers… it is easier to try and judge, feel lofty, feel superior, feel…. what exactly?!
The higher you climb up on that pedestal… the further you have to fall.
It is better to live in humility, grace, & empathy. You will find you don’t fall victim to judgement, guilt, shame or self doubt.
There is no time, you see!
You are too busy, living, working along side your fellow man. You are too busy lifting up everyone around you, it gives you the leverage you need. Not to tower over those around you; but rather the leverage to balance you, holding you tight inside God’s love.
There’s a reason we go through these journeys. They’re lessons hidden waiting to be learned. These very trails & tribulations just so happen to be; the very ground work in building your stepping stones. The very stones you will use to get you to the path God has chosen just for you!
Never regret your choices in life…. none of them…. It was those choices that allow you to relate, identify, love & lift up each other!
Next time you feel the burden of judgment. Remember, it was You alone; that placed it there. Remember, sinner is only a word that reminds us; we ALL fall short in Gods eyes. Christian, is not a perfect human; it’s a term, a word: it describes a human, seeking Gods love, trying, striving to be a better human than the day before. Hypocrisy, well that lives inside us all… We are simply; humans striving to do better than the day before.
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