Practicing Godliness

This a.m. “practice” came to my mind again and how when we seek to have the right heart attitude toward others we are practicing godliness. 1 Tim 4:7 “…discipline yourselves for the purpose of godliness.”

Not having a critical heart and not submitting to negative thoughts is practicing godliness. Rom 14:10; why do you judge your brother? Col 2:16 therefore no one is to act as your judge….

It came to my mind that sometimes we hide criticism in our hearts. It may not be vocalized but really if it is in our heart, then it poisons our thoughts, which will affect our attitude and feelings toward someone. Just because it is unspoken, does not mean criticism is not working its death not only in us, but in our relationship with others. It is something that we must view as alive and active and when given the liberty to reside within, it can destroy even our most precious relationships. The enemy is the master that rules it. He often is the author of negative thoughts. He hates loving relationships.

Father, You desire Your children to have a pure heart. 1 Tim 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. A heart filled with the love and grace that You constantly pour out on us. Understanding Your grace helps us to have a different perspective than the world. You look at Your children and never ever condemn them.
Rom 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Your love for them never changes and You lovingly help them to grow. Help us to understand that believers are growing at different paces along their walk with You.
That the things I don’t understand about them, You do and still love them deeply.
I don’t have to understand why this or why that!

They belong to You and were created to serve You. You made each person different for Your own purposes. And the rough places, the blind spots in their walk with You, You can transform especially if we do not get in the way of that by judging and criticizing them. Instead, through upholding each other in prayer we can be (Phil 1:6) confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

When there are negative thoughts toward another we only hurt our relationship and we are not able to have the honesty, clarity, and confidence in one another that the Spirit is able to bring to love and friendship.

Each heart can decide to receive from You or not. But knowing that we are unconditionally loved will draw us more to You than anything else. Your love being expressed to one another from a pure and forgiving heart will do more than anything for us to be who You designed us to be. Without the barrier of judgment and criticism toward others we truly experience a liberty that is only in Christ Jesus.

Thank You for being the wonderful and awesome God and Father that You are to me.
You love me and have given to me and all others who have trusted Your Son the privilege of learning to walk with You.
Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.