Judgement day

Let Your justice be my breakthrough

Psalm 71

Picture this in your mind. We are standing in a courtroom, two tables hold the files of the prosecuting and defending attorneys. The judge sits in authority, knowing that he holds the power to free or condemn. Where are you?

I must confess, I have been putting myself in the judge’s chair far too often. There is someone that I have been angry and unforgiving towards. It got so consuming that I could not talk about this person without making bitter comments. Unforgiveness and judgement had sprung out of a deep hurt and had been fed by ongoing circumstances. Month after month I refused to deal with it, knowing that I can never resolve the reason I was angry.

Addiction so often creates the perfect storm for judgement and unforgiveness. One crisis after another, lies, hurts, theft- what stands out in your mind? When we are hurt deeply by someone, it is natural to be angry. It is normal to want justice for your pain. We tell ourselves, ” They hurt me! Forgive? I can’t even be in the same room with them. ” We begin to pass judgement, condemning them for what they have done.

As time goes on, if we don’t break this pattern, the file cabinet in our mind becomes full with negative thoughts and additional offenses.

Go back to the courtroom in your mind. Place the person who has hurt you as the defendant. This person may be worthy of judgement, in the world’s eyes. Crime, abuse, murder, neglect- the law says they are absolutely wrong. The problem is, we are not the judge. We are sitting in the witness stand.

Matthew 7:1-2 says “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others.”

Only the One who created life has the power to free and condemn. God sits in the judge’s box and rules with authority and grace. Not me. Not you.

Some situations are difficult to forgive or release because the hurt runs deep. A young man steals money from his family. They are angry and choose to push him away in judgement. Later, he takes one too many shots and overdoses. They cannot go back and confront the offense.

In my case, I have been placing blame for my mothers death. I will never know if what I believe about those circumstances is true. Relationships and choices in my family continue to reinforce what I think was the cause. It has created a chain, locking me into this judgement and bitterness.

I am making the choice to walk out of the judge’s seat. Forgiveness is a choice- every day I am declaring:

As an act of my will, I choose to forgive my father. I release him from any judgement that I have placed on him. I choose to allow justice to be in God’s hands. I am not God.

You have a choice. You can continue to walk in judgement or unforgiveness, or you can choose to release it. You may not want to, you may not feel like it, but you need to do it.

There is a spiritual law called sowing and reaping.

“Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ( Gal 6:7,NIV)”

I do not what to be judged with the same judgement I am passing. It is critical and relentless.

What do you need to forgive? What have you been passing judgement on? We all have something. You are the one wearing the chain, not the person who has hurt you. Let’s be real- they may never change. They might continue living out the very thing that has hurt you. That is their choice. Our choice, however, is to decide whether to let them pull us along by the chain.

I hope and pray that our “offenders” change. I hope that one day they find the Lord and know what its like to be loved unconditionally. Until then, I choose to break my agreements with judgement and let God be God. I am walking out of the chains and into freedom. Will you join me?