How to Hurt God’s Heart
Judy’s daughter had a boyfriend whose father’s vulgar language made Judy uncomfortable. One day after spending an evening celebrating her daughter’s birthday, she told her husband. "I don't like him and don't want to be around him."
He replied, “You are being critical and judgmental.” Judy was hurt that that was his response. Her mother-heart wanted to rescue and protect her daughter from this man's influence and her feelings were hurt by what my husband said.
Judy told me what she did. “So I went to the Lord, and asked him if I was being critical and judgmental by feeling this way. “Am I Lord? Is my husband right?”
Then she opened the Word and read a verse that she often prays. “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior” (Ps. 25:4-5).
The Lord spoke to her heart and helped her understand that he was really a very nice man and that the only thing wrong with him was that he doesn't know Jesus.
Her heart softened and she began to see him through the eyes of Jesus, who dined and ate with sinners and people who seemed to do everything we think hurts the heart of God.
“I had thought his being so vulgar was hurting the Lord and he shouldn't do it. But in reality I was the one who was hurting the heart of God. I was the one who had the power of the Holy Spirit, and yet I was the one who was hurting Jesus’ heart by being critical and judgmental.
Judy began to confess and ask for forgiveness. She shared what she wrote in her journal: “Lord, who can discern My errors? Forgive my hidden faults, keep me from willful sin. May self-righteous anger not rule over me. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be truly pleasing to You O Lord. (Ps. 19) Help me to humble my pride and be a sweet aroma of Christ to him and any others who might see me as critical and judgmental.
Dear God, help me to be the sweet aroma of Jesus Christ and to let You do the judging and the changing of lives.
“All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord” (Prov. 16:2).
