Please share on the topic of judgmentalism and anger and pride

[WeakButHopeful]

Well, theoretically this thread might belong in the "struggles, depression, recovery" forum but those threads all seem to be about really serious struggles.

My current struggle is with judgmentalism, anger and pride.

One part of me says it's foolish to even post this because I know, both intellectually and spiritually, dozens of arguments and commands against judgmentalism, anger and pride. But wouldn't it be proud to think that the Holy Spirit can't speak through someone in this forum to finally get through my *T-H-I-C-K* head?

I know if I were reading this I'd immediately ask what was the relationship that person had with Jesus Christ? Well, I can't have too great a one if judgmentalism, anger and pride are still such a part of me. I'm not sure what kind of ruler one applies. I certainly believe far more in the importance of my personal relationship with Jesus than some others (or was that, woops, judgmentalism?) I just mean that I'm not wrapped up in the idea of religious trappings, but clearly I'm wrapped up in something that's warping my attitudes. I'd like to think that I have accepted Jesus as my Saviour and try to listen to the Holy Spirit in my dailly life and that these failings are the result of me repeatedly putting both feet in the traps set by Satan. But I am willing to believe that I'm just fooling myself and there are levels of commitment to God that I have not reached and others have.

I know the statement that Christians aren't perfect, they're just forgiven. But I'm especially gloomy right now about my continued (including just 45 minutes ago) angry episodes resulting from me deciding someone else is doing something wrong and having to tell them about it in a non-tactful way (to say the least). I must repent of this behaviour, and any advice and prayers are welcome.

Thank you.

 

[cyberwood]

You said it - I am right there with you. It seems that as I actively pursue Jesus Christ in my life, and desire to build my relationship with Hiim, a couple things are happening. 1) I want to get rid of my sinful ways (including pride) and live a life for Jesus and 2) I am proud at overcoming obstacles. This is the pitfall - that as I put behind me my sinful nature, I am hit more and more with the temptation to see myself as something more than nothing (without Christ), and even if for a moment I take counsel from these thoughts, I lose what I gained. What I have attempted to put behind me only built up pride, and I am still no better off (just a sin switching).

I have spent some time meditating on my signature, and hopefully will spend my life considering the power of that statement, and I believe my dilemma as described is a righteousness that comes from the law, which is dead (since it is my own). In other words, I put behind me sin that I would want to do, and then when I have conquered it and no longer desire the sin, I still sin, b/c in my heart I give myself glory....ugggh.

I continue to struggle to understand the righteousness that comes from faith in Christ, and I believe that it is being shown to me little by little. For instance - I live in Northern Virginia, and traffic is pretty nasty here. Most times when I am commuting to and from work, I get pretty frustrated that it is taking forever - sometimes extremely angry and sometimes only mildly annoyed. As I began to find ways to get Christ in my life even more, I began to listen to contemporary christian music while in my car. When songs I like come on, I turn it up, sing it, and struggle to understand each word, hoping it will catch in my heart, bringing me closer to God. The times that the songs bring me closer, and I experience fellowship with Jesus Christ, it's great, and I then find myself reluctantly pulling up to my parking space, wishing I could have had more time to spend with Him. I didn't even consider being frustrated at all - so as far as I was concerned, there wasn't frustration, only Jesus Christ, and, in that, I had a righteousness that was in Him, where my heart did not even consider sin.

I see so much sin in my life, and I am learning that I am at a loss to take anything from me, because what desires would I replace in my heart? What good would it bring me to recognize my sin, attempt to stop, but still knowing I can't change my heart? That is where I am learning that I must focus on Jesus Christ instead of sin - do my absolute best to forget the sin in my life, and instead keep complete focus. Only then can I realize that I have put behind me unbeatable sins I could never overcome.

Please keep in mind I write as a child in Christ, and I am so weak in His wisdom, and His righteousness. I only write, as it struck out at me since I have been considering this a lot recently. This may not even help you much, but I hope that in sharing with you my story, and you mine, we can at least stay resolved to attempt the impossible - live a life for Jesus Christ. If I err, and speak ignorantly, I hope that you or anyone else will give me knowledge and encouragement for Christ's glory, so that I might draw closer to Him.

I hope at the very least, this has helped you, since it has helped me.

For Christ's glory...

 

[IKTCA]

.

 

[WeakButHopeful]

Thank you cyberwood and iktca for sharing! I can see you both put a lot of time and caring into your replies.

Cyberwood, your comments about the need to keep complete focus remind me of Matthew 14:30 where Peter stepped out onto the water when Jesus called him, but then started to sink when he saw how strong the wind was. And of course your signature verse Philippians 3:7-9, righteousness coming from God through faith in Jesus Christ. And I have meditated this evening on your comments about what is in the heart. And yes, your comments have helped me.

Iktca, thank you also for your kind words and for putting into perspective my current struggles and torment. And yes, your comments and cyberwoods complement each others nicely. The Holy Spirit must be speaking to me through both of you. I think I need to seriously meditate on the question of Christ's authority in my life. And knowing that you have also been where I am and Jesus delivered you from it is encouraging. Thank you for praying for me, I will try to remember you in my prayers also.

After my original post I was away from the house for a while, and I tried to pay careful attention to my interactions with others. To some extent I felt like I was becoming detached from the normal exchanges of life. What I mean: often when we chat with people they say something and expect us to give our opinion. But as I (atleast then) was so strongly sensitive to my judgmental spirit, I found it hard to form a response. If I disagreed with their view, I didn't want to say that, but if I agreed I wondered what merit there was in my opinion since I knew I'd been so often wrong. So I guess this is just a long winded way of saying that, in addition to meditating on the advice you have both given me, I also need to think about the practical consequences in my dealings with others (though you both touched on that somewhat also).

Thanks again, very much, for sharing!

 

[mrversatile48]

Hi!

Corinthians could relate to that

Corinth hosted the prestigious Isthmean Games & it was like being in an Olympic village

They knew only too well the discipline & dedication of athletes, so Paul encouraged them to follow his example of running & boxing with a will

To win

He reminded them that athletes & boxers went thru allthat disciplined, dedicated training to gain a mere laurel wreath that soon fades

We have much more marvellous motivation!!!!!

Read the Bibles last 2 glorious chapters!!!!

Even Jesus, "for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame!"

DON'T FORGET "THE PASSION" OPENS IN UK ON FRIDAY!!!!!

From my own discipline of 3 years in a champion martial arts team, I can relate both to the athlete & the boxer

In this "instant everything" western culture, folk get discouraged by the slightest problems & give up

Jesus taught persistence

We Brits are particularly prone to sweep mistakes under the carpet & hide our heads in the sand: ignoring problems only compounds them

Ignoring wounds makes them fester

When athletes & boxers make mistakes & lose races or bouts, they consult the coach to learn how & where & why they went wrong

They learn all the lessons they can

They seek strategies, plan for progress

Felowship, in the Bible, is Greek word koinonia - the word for a business partnership

It shows us we are to mean business in "building each other up in the faith once for all delivered to the saints"

The Bible tells us, "Confess your faults to one another & pray for each other, so that you may be healed"

Note the 2-way traffic there

The Bible teaches the priesthood of all true believers in Christ

I admire the openness of USA folk

Our Elim pastor, tho a Brit, has regularly told us, "Forget you're Brits: our guide, as Christians, must be God's Word, not narrow national culture"

Brits do much gossipping & that stops folk sharing

Man's Maker's Manual can correct weaknesses in any culture, city, community, family & individual human heart

Total transformation takes time: "from 1 degree of glory to another

I saw 2 toddlers argue on the bus & get told of in front of everybody, so they both blushed a deep purple

Deep Purple hit, "Smoke On The Water" was written @ a hotel fire on the shore of Lake Geneva, caused by gas explosion

But it took some careful, time-consuming effort to learn that, & even more time, cost & effort to rebuild

But of course, when villagers heard the..

er..

Big Bang theory...

& rushed outside, in total shock..

all they could see..

hear..

& say..

altogether now..

Smokeon the water...

Fire in the sky!!!"

Kinda made Ritchie Blakmore think

Flames shot far out across the lake

Caused panic & confusion @ the time

But after careful consideration...

practical planning..

constructive co-operation..

Bigger...

Better...

Stronger

God bless!

Ian

 

[mrversatile48]

Hi!

Corinthians could relate to that..

Corinth hosted the prestigious Isthmean Games & it was like being in an Olympic village...

They knew only too well the discipline & dedication of athletes, so Paul encouraged them to follow his example of running & boxing with a will

To win

From my own discipline of 3 years in a champion martial arts team, I can relate both to the athlete & the boxer

In this "instant everything" western culture, folk get discouraged by the slightest problems & give up

Jesus taught persistence

We Brits are particularly prone to sweep mistakes under the carpet & hide our heads in the sand: ignoring problems only compounds them

Ignoring wounds makes them fester

When athletes & boxers make mistakes & lose races or bouts, they consult the coach to learn how & where & why they went wrong

They learn all the lessons they can

They seek strategies, plan for progress

Felowship, in the Bible, is Greek word koinonia - the word for a business partnership

It shows us we are to mean business in "building each other up in the faith once for all delivered to the saints"

The Bible tells us, "Confess your faults to one another & pray for each other, so that you may be healed"

Note the 2-way traffic there

The Bible teaches the priesthood of all true believers in Christ

I admire the openness of USA folk

Our Elim pastor, tho a Brit, has regularly told us, "Forget you're Brits: our guide, as Christians, must be God's Word, not narrow national culture"

Brits do much gossipping & that stops folk sharing

Man's Maker's Manual can correct weaknesses in any culture, city, community, family & individual human heart

Total transformation takes time: "from 1 degree of glory to another

I saw 2 toddlers argue on the bus & get told of in front of everybody, so they both blushed a deep purple

Deep Purple hit, "Smoke On The Water" was written @ a hotel fire on the shore of Lake Geneva, caused by gas explosion

But it took some careful, time-consuming effort to learn that, & even more time, cost & effort to rebuild

But of course, when villagers heard the..

er..

Big Bang theory...

& rushed outside, in total shock..

all they could see..

hear..

& say..

altogether now..

Smokeon the water...

Fire in the sky!!!"

Kinda made Ritchie Blakmore think

Flames shot far out across the lake

Caused panic & confusion @ the time

But after careful consideration...

practical planning..

constructive co-operation..

Bigger...

Better...

Stronger

God bless!

Ian

 

[WeakButHopeful]

Thanks Ian! Great points. Yep, I'll take credit for being open about my many failures, but you're right, that's just a portion of the battle. Now I must learn my lessons, plan strategies and make progress. I must be like an athlete (though if you knew me you'd laugh at that analogy...but I get the idea). And yes, I am motivated. I'm thinking of posting some notes to myself to remind me that I'm in training (Scripture verses, strategies, warnings, etc.)

Funny you should mention "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple. Back when I was a teenager (early 70s) I was always a social outcast. One Friday night I was alone in my room with windows and door closed and distinctly heard that song. Turns out it was from a dance being held at a gym 3 blocks away sponsored by the "Police Athletic League". I often wonder how my life might have been different if I'd loosened up a little and attended some of those dances. I know, off topic. Sorry about that. I'll stop now.

 

[cyberwood]

Friend in Christ,
Thank you for the kind response - through you, the Lord has given to me exactly what I needed. Your posts encourage me greatly to stay focused on the goal of Christ, and forget the pride that I find in myself even in religion.

I too greatly appreciated Ian's post, as it reminded me that we must be completely goal-oriented on Christ.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 3:13-14

This speaks personally in a couple ways at this point in my life.
1) All of my mistakes, all of my failures, all of my misgivings, all of my pride and anger, I must forget about, knowing Jesus' death has paid in full, and continue to look ahead. I must be Peter walking on water, and look only at my goal that is a relationship with Jesus Christ - and each step further from safety that I take, the more I see who He is.
2) We will never "get it" in this life. Paul, one of the 'greatest' Christians of all time, attested that he did not fully attain to a righteousness by faith. If Paul did not understand, I will never completely understand the Gospel of Christ. No matter what I know, what I am given, if I think I know the Gospel, I am made a fool. If I try to teach the Gospel to another, the other teaches me. If I try to save another, the other saves me. And isn't this the transforming power of the Gospel, to make the teacher the student, and the greatest the least?

I continue to pray that this will catch in my heart, so that I will serve the Lord with more of my heart, and speak only when he commands me to speak, for His glory. I can only do that when I know that I am a student, that I am less than anyone else.

Your original question was in dealing with the struggles in sharing the Truth of the Gospel with others (when someone is doing wrong and must be instructed). This is my private and sometimes public struggle as well, as the desire to serve Christ fuels in me a new passion for others to serve Him as well. However, Satan hits us hard here as this beautiful desire to serve the Father, and take on His desire for everyone to serve Him is twisted to fuel our pride.

For instance, at work last week, one of my coworkers asked another if he had seen the Passion of Christ, and immediately I wanted so very badly to jump in and share my experience with them. The movie for me was very moving in the Spirit of Christ, and affected me personally. I thought, "I must share this, now's my chance to talk about the work of the Lord in my life!" But I held back, and waited, even begged in my heart, that someone just *ask*. But no one asked me, and I didn't share. After praying about this, I learned something about myself and about the Lord - this is His ministry on earth, and not mine. If it is the Lord's plan for me to speak to their hearts, then it will be given to me in the Spirit - with passion, love, peace, patience, and gentleness. But when I wanted to speak, I was anxious, impatient, envious (that I wasn't asked what I thought of the movie), and frustrated. Those were not the fruits of the spirit. What if I had spoken anyway? It would have been only for my pride, and I would have turned from my Father and Lord. The scary part is that if I had spoken, the arrows of deception would likely start flying, and I would have had no shield of the Spirit, and would have been pierced. If no arrows were thrown, I would have been impatient, and would have wanted to get in another's face, and force the Gospel down their throat. For whose glory? Who do I serve?

That event was my lesson, given to me from the loving Father, that I might learn to be a servant. It is so hard for me - the lesson of patience. The Lord has blessed me with some of His awesome Truth! It is in my heart, and it is so beautiful! But if I give this to another without the blessing of the Father, then it is dead, because in the same way, no one gave it to me but the Father, through Jesus Christ. And, even so, how long does the Lord wait on me until He says "it is time" and I follow? So I must wait on the Lord's timing, accepting injustice around me for His glory, letting deception rejoice around me, only pressing on for the goal of Jesus Christ.

We are all athletes in Christ, whatever our physical bodies may resemble.

We are students in Christ, and I wait on the teacher to teach me. So too do you wait on the Teacher to teach you, and nothing that I write means anything without the lessons of the Teacher. Amen itkca, your post rightfully shamed and humbled me - only the Lord knows what is in my heart.

We are the new Israel, and we know that no matter how far we stray, how much pride is in our hearts, we will be brought back and humbled in the love of the Father. Friend, when you hear the lies that tell you that you cannot bear the burden of removing pride, keep this promise in your heart, away from the Deceiver. The power of the Lord is in bringing you to fellowship with Him despite yourself. It is actually that Truth spoken to me that confirmed in my heart that I am a Christian - because the Lord's will is to bring me to Him, and my will cannot overpower His!

Like you, this is my daily lesson given to me by the Father in Heaven. Let's stay resolved to accept every humbling lesson He gives to us!

I hope this encourages you and others, and I hope you and others will share the impressions of the Spirit on your heart, to overcome the impossible.

Athletes in Christ,
Chris

 

[mrversatile48]

Thanks Ian! Great points. Yep, I'll take credit for being open about my many failures, but you're right, that's just a portion of the battle. Now I must learn my lessons, plan strategies and make progress.

U R NOT ALONE: THE BODY OF CHRIST IS A FAMILY & A TEAM & 'NET IS GLOBAL, OK?


I must be like an athlete (though if you knew me you'd laugh at that analogy...but I get the idea).

SECRET OF SUCCESS IS DEGREE OF FOCUS & DETERMINATION: ABILITY GROWS WITH HARD WORK!

And yes, I am motivated.

PAUL SAID, REALLY, JUST GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!


I'm thinking of posting some notes to myself to remind me that I'm in training (Scripture verses, strategies, warnings, etc.) MOST BODACIOUSLY EXCELLENT, DUDE!!!

Funny you should mention "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple. Back when I was a teenager (early 70s) I was always a social outcast. A NORMAL TEEN, HUH? - I RECALL IT LIKE IT WAS ONLY CENTURIES AGO!!!

One Friday night I was alone in my room with windows and door closed and distinctly heard that song. Turns out it was from a dance being held at a gym 3 blocks away sponsored by the "Police Athletic League".

I USED TO LIVE 3 DOORS FROM WHERE A HR/HM BAND PRACTISED - JUST DA RIGHT VOLUME 4 ME TO PLAY LEAD GUITAR UNPLUGGED - GO "KLUBZ"!!!!


I often wonder how my life might have been different if I'd loosened up a little and attended some of those dances. AS IN NEEDING A DEAF AID MAYBE???

I know, off topic. NOPE..
GOOD TEST..
TO BE SURE FOLK AIN'T SINGIN'..
IN PROUD ANGER...
ALTOGETHER...

Here come da judge..here come da judge..everybody knows dat....

Sorry about that. I'll stop now.

unless ya get encores..

CAN'T HEAR YA, MILWAUKEE!!!!!!!!!...

Saskatchewan shovellin' snow AGAIN?????