I have a handful of really great women in my life that I am lucky enough to call my dearest friends. These aren't family members, these are women that I have formed a bond with that has lasted through thick and thin, through bickering, through good times, through trials. These women have stuck by my side even when we go long periods without talking to each other. These women are strong and faithful women and I believe that God brought them into my life for a reason and for them I am eternally grateful. I know that these women will be my friends long into my earthly life and into my Heavenly future.
When I think about sisters and friends however, my heart does ache because there are many women out there that don't have this type of bond with other women for whatever reason. There are women out there that I thought were going to be my sister and friend and for many different reasons have now faded away from my life. It's those relationships that I mourn and I long for because I know that by us not treating each other the way we should, we our making our Father incredibly sad. Women are a unique species aren't we? We are strong and yet we are gentle. We can speak words of love and kindness and then turn right around and speak words that tear each other down and hurt each other to the very core. We are emotional beings and when our feelings get hurt our first reaction is to hurt the person who made us feel so terribly about ourselves. We are competitive, we are jealous, we can be slanderous and hateful. These actions make us a disgrace to ourselves and to our God we profess to love.
I ran across a blog entry that I want to share with you by one of my favorite Godly women and I wonder what you think of it or if it strikes you the way it did me?
How differently might our lives be if we women didn't have to fear the harsh criticisms of other women? Might we be willing to step out a little bolder for Jesus? Might we live our lives a little less guarded?
Oh sweet sisters, women judging other women must absolutely break God’s heart.
The crazy thing is when we judge others, we elevate ourselves past the ability to recognize our own propensity to sin in the very area we are criticizing. Show me a woman who is leveling a judgment against another person, and I will show you a woman who is wrapped in sin herself.If it’s not the very same sin she’s criticizing, it will be a sin just as dangerous — pride.
It's a subtle shift that Satan invites us into. Voicing criticisms against others will coat the eyes of our soul with smut so thick, we become blinded to our own sin. Pride and self-righteousness will detour us from God’s best path and lead us on a treacherous journey of denial. We’ll deny our own sinfulness. We’ll deny our own need for grace.
Those who can’t see their own desperate need for grace, refuse to freely give grace to others.
Now, if you’re like me, you may be tempted to start making a mental list of those who you have felt judged by and you started praying a few sentences back: “Please let so and so read this post. Oh I hope she sees herself in this and gets a whammy of conviction.”
But, let’s stop making that mental list and receive this message personally. Even if we aren't naturally critical people, this is an area we can all grow in.
- Lysa TerKeurst
Powerful stuff right there sisters!!! And the last paragraph....whewwwwweeeee! That hit me right in the gut. How often have I posted things wishing that so and so would see it and it would smack her in the face with guilt and conviction. I am guilty. I admit it. And what is even worse is that I read this post and it sinks in but I promise you, I will fall again. I will do it again. It's my sinful nature to want other people who have hurt me, to hurt. It's a daily fight between me, Satan, and God. Oh how I long for this world to end and to gain entry into my Eternal Home and for this struggle to be taken from me. But, that is not our reality right now is it? We are still here, and while we're here we have to battle these feelings, temptations, and sins. These negatives in our lives are truths. We literally do these things to each other without a second thought. But sisters, there is another truth. That truth is that Jesus longs for us as women to love one another, to support each other, to uplift each other, to be encouraging and thought provoking, and to pray for each other, but the strongest of these is love. Sisters, we NEED each other. Life can get so difficult at times with all the responsibilities of being a woman. We have husbands, children, careers, education, God, church, etc, etc, etc. We have obligations and responsibilities. We need to be there for each other, we need to listen to each other, we need to be present with each other, and most of all we need to pray for each other.
Women of noble character do not slander each other. They do not hate each other. They do not gossip about each other. They do not treat each other unkindly. They do not tear each other down. Those things are what Satan wants. Those are things he whispers in our ears to do to each other so that our church can be ripped apart from the very inside out!
So how do we prevent this bitterness and wrath towards each other, how do we stop judging each other and tearing each other down? We take up the sword of Christ, we pick up our Bibles and we go to war with Satan using the Scriptures to speak truths about ourselves and each other!
Here are some powerful truths about what a sister in Christ is and does....
“A friend loveth at all times…” Proverbs 17:17
Trying to walk each day as a woman of faith, while facing all this world has to throw at us, is often hard to do. But the Lord has promised He will never leave us or forsake us, and He often sends into our life, the special blessing of a special sister.
She is a spiritually mature woman who can offer support and comfort, and is waiting to reach out with encouragement and prayer.
She has a desire within her heart that compels her to reach out to another who is hurting.
She has the love of Jesus within her and it shows.
She is like-minded, understanding, a listener, an encourager, and a prayer warrior. There is a special bond between you as sisters in Christ.
She can be relied upon to lift you up in prayer and trusted in confidence. This special sister will tell you the truth, even when it may not be what you want to hear.
“Sisters in Christ are like pillars on a porch. Sometimes they lean on you, and sometimes you hold them up. But it is always good to know that they are always standing by.”
This born-again desire of “sisterly love” is a sure sign that Jesus now dwells within us.
Are you ready to live your life like pillars on a porch for each other sisters? Are you ready to answer Christs call to love one another? If you are, say this prayer with me....
In genuine sincerity, you can speak to Jesus...Lord Jesus, I know that I am not the woman that you desire me to be. I know I am a sinner and that my sin separates me from you. I firmly believe that you died on the cross for my sins and suffered in my place for the condemnation that I deserve.
I come to you now for forgiveness and to surrender my life to You. I come to you now for forgiveness and to surrender my life to You. You have been patiently waiting outside the door of my heart knocking. I now open the door.Come in, Lord Jesus, and be my Lord and Savior forever.
