Scriptural Foundation:
Titus 2:1-5 New King James Version (NKJV)
But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
Luke 6:42 New King James Version (NKJV)
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
Reflection:
I am always amazed at what the Lord will use to bring home a message to my heart. Last year, I heard on the radio the song Dear Younger Me sung by the group MercyMe. I love MercyMe! The song is about self-reflection. If you could go back and talk to your younger self what advice would you give that young woman? The more I listened to the song; the Lord provided a different perspective. What would I say to my children in a heart to heart talk about where I have been in my life and what I would have changed if I had to do it all over? The more I thought about the question, the more I realized that I would not change a thing. Sure I made some mistakes, some bigger than others, but it brought me to this point in my life. God has entrusted to my husband and I with three beautiful children to love on and to nurture in the spirit and in the natural to become soldiers in the army of the Lord.
In Paul’s letter to Titus (Titus 2:1-5) he encourages the fellowship between the generations -men encouraging men and women encouraging women. It is so easy to judge others for their current circumstances, but the truth be told upon self reflection, circumstances in your past and present could be judge too (Luke 6:46). So what should we be doing as the Body of Believers? We should draw from our life experiences and not condemn our fellow brother or sister in Christ, but to encourage them through their struggles.
Everyone has their own opinion from the outside looking into someone else’s life, but without discernment that opinion is unchecked judging on your part.
Seeking Revelation:
- List out what you perceive as your mistakes or regrets.
- Pray over each item individually – God may reveal certain strongholds that can be tied back to that item.
- Seek to forgiveness – for example, seeking the Lord for forgiveness, forgiving your self, or as the Lord leads maybe reaching out to an individual you may have affected and ask forgiveness
- Moving forward, become more sensitive to others that may be in, going through, or just getting out of a challenging situation.