I was recently thinking about all the opinions we are surrounded by. Everyone has an opinion about everything….including our lives. I have had folks offer me very strong opinions on how to “fix” myself and my life. When this happens it always reminds me of the importance of being selective on who we allow to speak into our lives.

I want to encourage you, as well as me, to watch who’s opinions we let dictate our lives and actions. There will always be those who doubt us, don’t see our worth, and are ready to tear us down at the slightest perceived shortcoming. We can’t allow those voices to take up territory in our minds. I am not talking about being unteachable. We need to always pause and see if there is truth and value to what others are saying about us. If there is we need to address it, but if not we need to be quick to disregard it, let it go, and move on. We should also make sure to release all hurt, anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness.

We also have an enemy (demons) that love to tell us who they think we are. They love to try to get us off God’s path and the calling God has for us. When this happens we need to be quick to pick up our weapons of warfare and send them packing.

Also, one of our worst critics can be ourselves. We are often so hard on ourselves and constantly speak negatively over our own lives. That is a pattern that needs to be broken immediately.

I want to encourage you to ask God what He sees when He looks at you and what has He created you to be. Our worth is found in Him and who He says we are. His opinion is really the only one that matters.

We all face battles, struggles, and painful situations….and we all get to decide what we are going to do with them. We decide if we are going to allow them to grow us in our relationship with God or destroy it. We decide if we are going to allow it to make us angry, resentful, jealous, hateful, and bitter or if we are going to allow it to burn out the impurities in our hearts. We decide if we are going to choose to walk in the fruit of the Spirit or our flesh. We also decide if we are going to let the situation define us or if we are going to choose to only accept and walk in the identity given to us by God.

I want to encourage you to never look at others and think they never face difficulties because we all do. No one is exempt. We have no idea what others are facing on any given day that is why we need to be kind, gentle, loving, compassionate, and offer grace. Maybe they don’t give what you expect them to give or they don’t respond in the way you want them to respond…that is where grace and attempting to understand comes in. If we all offered each other a little more grace and understanding and a little less pointed, passive aggressive opinions I think there would be way less misunderstandings, arguments, anger, hurt, and hard feelings. The enemy loves to use situations to poke and point out everything that will lead to negative emotions and divisions. The body of Christ is divided in so many areas. It is time for each of us to do our part in bringing healing.

Blessings,

Nichole Henson

Fullness of Joy Ministry