HE INEVITABLY DELUDES HIMSELF who attempts to delude God. I was reading an article on a “child centered home” and a major problem is these homes is that parents refuse to see their children as they really are.

For example, a rebellious and stubborn child is referred to as a “strong willed” and a manipulative and sneaky child is referred to as “creative”. I’m not saying to speak these things over your child, but rather to recognize their true character and nature and pray, train and discipline that wicked nature out of the child. But, we do this in our own lives, don’t we?

We deceive ourselves when we will not examine our heart honestly before the Lord. We need to stop making excuses for bad behavior, for ourselves and our kids. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. Rude is rude. Disrespectful is disrespectful. We need to be people of integrity and take responsibility for our actions. Repent if you need to repent and forgive if you need to forgive. A child of God should look and act differently than the world.

About 12 years ago I had a realization. I was suffering through something for about 4 years and wasn’t getting any relief or deliverance. After casting down every enemy, I finally inquired of the Lord. I cried out to God, “What am I supposed to learn from this?” and He spoke very gently and crystal clear, “Crystal, you are not compassionate. I want you to learn compassion through this suffering.” And I broke down in humility and tears because I knew it was true.

I have always been a “just get over it” person, it was how I survived my childhood; but God needed me to understand others are not like me. There were some who needed my compassion instead of my hard-charging attitude of soldiering on. They need more time and patience from me. It was a tough lesson, but it’s how you grow and develop godly character.

The long season of suffering was good for my character. Long suffering can only produce longsuffering. This is a Scriptural truth. Those who preach God doesn’t allow us to go through suffering and affliction, have twisted much of Scripture. Paul tells us that we will suffer and be comforted by the Lord in our suffering so that we know how to comfort others.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭7‬

Don’t delude yourself and stop making excuses for bad behavior. Be acquainted your character flaws so that God can refine you. If you know yourself, then maybe it won’t have to be a longer season that it needs to be. Proverbs says “a child is known by his ways, whenever he be good or evil.” You may cover things up for a while, but everything will come to light in time.

Your fruit will find you out. If you are bitter, jealous, unforgiving, angry, rebellious, and/or operating in unrepentant sin, or like myself who needed to learn compassion; everyone around you can see it. Stop deluding yourself. The human nature apart from Jesus is rebellious and selfish. Do the hard work. Examine yourself.

Don’t be the person who looks in the mirror, walks away and forgets what you look like. Be honest with yourself and with God. He is trying to produce godly fruit and character in you. Let Him teach you, mold you, shape you. I know it hurts, but it’s good for you and in turn, you will be better suited to comfort and help others. We are not to be slack in this, but to GIVE ALL DILIGENCE to your character development.

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” II Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬-‭9‬ ‭

#runyourrace

To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page