Looking at the character that the Holy Spirit is working to develop in our lives requires effort or submission on our part. God doesn’t force us to behave in a godly manner. We have a free will.
“So I beg you, brothers and sisters, because of the great mercy God has shown us, offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him—an offering that is only for God and pleasing to him. Considering what he has done, it is only right that you should worship him in this way. 2 Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.” Romas 12:1-2 ERV
We bring our lives, a living sacrifice, to the Father. Offering our lives to honor Him, thanking Him for His forgiveness, unconditional love, grace and mercy.
It is so easy to fall into the trap of criticizing – or maybe that’s just my weakness. That has been around since the beginning of time. Satan’s first efforts were to criticize the Lord and to cast doubt on His loving nature.
I found myself criticizing critical people yesterday. “Lord, I repent.”
All around us there are things we don’t agree with – actions, political views, eating habits, driving habits, work ethics, education or lack there of – and so we criticize.
“The tongue is like a fire. It is a world of evil among the parts of our body. It spreads its evil through our whole body and starts a fire that influences all of life. It gets this fire from hell.
7 Humans have control over every kind of wild animal, bird, reptile, and fish, and they have controlled all these things. 8 But no one can control the tongue. It is wild and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people who were created in God’s likeness. 10 These praises and curses come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen.” James 3:6-10 ERV
I’m still a work in progress and I desire to follow the Lord’s instructions. Instead of being critical I need to pray and let God change those I’m critical of or perhaps change me.
I want my mouth to be filled with prayer, praise, encouragement and edification. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks so Lord I want to fill my heart with nothing but your love.
“Don’t let me do what I know is wrong. Don’t let sin control me. If you help me, I can be pure and free from sin. 14 May my words and thoughts please you. Lord, you are my Rock—the one who rescues me.” Psalm 19:13-14 ERV
I want to show God’s love to all I meet because of the love and correction that He has given me.