Resisting accusation and judgement in Christ’s name

A number of years back now, I was a youngish university lecturer out for a long night with a bunch of final year students (mostly young good-looking women), celebrating the success of finishing their undergraduate degrees. We danced in clubs, drank beers and cocktails, laughed a lot, and talked about all our futures with anticipation, realizing that this was the end of an era and the start of something new and exciting. But as I was going to the bar to buy more drinks an accusing and judgemental voice whispered in my ear: ‘But this is bad all this reveling and partying, and with young women too! You should feel guilty for having such a good time and celebrating this event.’ Despite the whisper and the noise in the club I heard, loud and clear, the accusation and judgement, and found myself resisting what I first thought was God and Christ’s word of warning. My response was prickly: ‘For sure, we are drinking and partying but there are times for celebration and this is one of them! Lord this is a wonderful celebration of life and human endeavor and I am glad I am here’.  His response was remarkable and was so utterly different to the first accusing and judgemental whisper, as it was also joy-filled and liberating: ‘Yes, it is all a wonderful celebration of life and human endeavor and it is all because of me, and so I too, am glad you are here!!’

Always remember that according to scripture Satan is the accuser and the finger-pointer (Revelations 12:10) – and he is the one who wants you on a guilt-trip so he can steal your joy (John 10:10).

Click on book cover image on this blog's home page for information on my book Nine Steps to Well-Being: A Spiritual Guide for Disconnected Christians and Other Questioning Journeyers - first three chapters are FREE!!