Judgement Free Zone

As I reflect on my life, there are times I have unfairly judged others and I am sure you have too! It has also proven to be a challenge for me in allowing the Holy Spirit to refine and cultivate my gift of discernment. Everyday, I am learning new and better ways to walk in this gifting.

The general definition of discernment is:

the ability to judge well.

The word "judge" is often correlated with the office of judge of which is a public official appointed to decide cases in a court of law. In action judging is to form an opinion or conclusion about. Biblically, discernment is at times paired with gaining of wisdom, knowledge and/or understanding. Proverbs 2:1-3 NKJV says

My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; yes; if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding. If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.

Many have a misunderstanding of this gift and misuse it poorly. We live in a society of judgement, we are based on scrolling through and executing judgement, we are based on what our eyes see and our ears hear. As a result, feelings are heart, trauma takes refusge in the hearts of people who hold onto guilt and shame for something someone said to them directly or in gossip to others. Matthew 7:1-3 NKJV says:

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look and the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?"

Jesus goes on to call those who do this hypocrites and a while lot of other spiritual curse words lol In Matthew 7:7 He gives us the answer on how to better discern and judge,

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.

The only way to discern is in asking, seeking, knocking to discern from God what we should discern. I'm sure like me at first, you are wondering what this has to do with our mental health and healing. The truth is, relationships matter to God. His call for us to be in unity, to disciple to others, to love one another, to be in community, it requires us to operate in relationships well and the truth is, we don't and sometimes it stems from our lack of obedience and lack of wisdom in how to judge or discern in a way that doesn't cause trauma, hurt and/or pain to those around us. Luke 6:37:38 says:

Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you: good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

Give peace reap peace, give love reap love, give forgiveness, reap forgiveness. This is a message from Jesus on how to live in freedom, unity and HEALING with each other. I pray this encourages you to try it.

GOD BLESS!