Lord Jesus Christ I am Praying For Wisdom and Discernment Today
Dear reader , there are some things almost everybody enjoys hearing. Things like, "You did a great job. You look amazing. I am so proud of you." "You know, you handle that perfectly. You're one of the best."
Those words, they feel good. They settle easily into our hearts.
We do not usually need time to process a compliment. We don't go home and wrestle all night because somebody told us how wonderful we are.
We do not normally get offended when somebody admires us, when they celebrate us, or when they tell us that we were right.
Praise is easy to receive.
But then there are other conversations. "You could have handled that differently. You know, the way you said that hurt me. I think you need to reconsider this."
" You're gifted. But there's an area where you need to grow. "
"I love you, but I can't agree with what you're doing."
Those words, they land differently.
Suddenly, we can feel our defenses rising.
Before the person even finishes talking, we may already be preparing our response.
We explain.
We justify.
We remind them of what they have done.
We question their motives.
Sometimes we dismiss the entire conversation because we don't like the way the truth made us feel.
And this is what makes Proverbs 27:6 so powerful.
It says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."
Usually when we read this verse, we focus immediately on the wounds of a friend.
But today, I want to begin with the second part. The kisses of an enemy are deceitful because everybody applauding you is not necessarily for you.
Everybody agreeing with you doesn't necessarily love you and everybody making you feel good isn't necessarily helping you become better.
A kiss is normallv associated with affection.
It represents closeness, warmth, acceptance, even love.
But Proverbs warns us that affection can be deceptive.
There are people who will compliment you and never challenge you.
There are people who will applaud you while watching you make decisions that are destroying you.
There are people who will tell you exactly what you want to hear because telling you the truth might make the relationship or friendship uncomfortable. And sometimes it's not even malicious.
Sometimes people simply do not want conflict.
They don't want you upset with them.
They don't want to risk the relationship, so they smile, agree, and remain silent. But silence isn't always love.
Agreement isn't always loyalty, and praise isn't always proof that you're on the right path.
Think about King Ahab in 1st Kings chapter 22. He had hundreds of prophets telling him exactly what he wanted to hear. They told him to go into battle. They told him he would prosper. They gave him confidence.
But there was one prophet Micaiah son of Imlah whose message was different. Ahab didn't like him because Micaiah did not tell him what he wanted to hear.
Isn't that something?
The people telling him what felt good were welcomed while the person telling him the truth was rejected.
And we have to be careful that we don't do the same thing.
Sometimes we call people negative simply because they won't participate in our denial.
Sometimes we call people haters because they see something we don't see.
Sometimes we say, "You're supposed to support me." When what we really mean is you're supposed to agree with me.
But real support and unconditional agreement, those are not the same thing.
There are moments when the most loving thing someone can do is tell you something you don't want to hear.
Now, we have to balance this because every criticism isn't truth.
Every negative opinion isn't correction from God.
Every person pointing out something about you isn't qualified to speak into your life.
Some people criticize because they're jealous.
Some criticize because they're controlling.
Some criticize you because they're protecting their own wounds.
Some people disguise cruelty as honesty and say, "I'm just telling the truth", when what they really enjoy is the opportunity to cut somebody down."
That is not what this scripture is describing.
God isn't giving people permission to be harsh, disrespectful, humiliating, or careless with words when it comes to other people's feelings.
There is a difference between correction and condemnation.
There is a difference between constructive feedback and destructive criticism.
There is a difference between someone trying to help you grow in faith and someone trying to make you feel smalI.
That' is why discernment from God is necessary.
We have to ask, what is the fruit of what I'm hearing?
Is there truth in it?
Is this person trying to help me become better?
Or are they simply trying to hurt me?
And even if their delivery wasn't perfect, is there something here that God wants me to examine? Reconsider ?
Because sometimes truth comes beautifully packaged. And sometimes it does not.
Sometimes the person giving it chooses exactly the right words at exactly the right time with exactly the right tone. And sometimes they stumble through it.
Sometimes they say too much.
Sometimes their timing could have been better .
Sometimes they added in a little bit of self and not so much God.
And if we're not careful, we can become so focused on how somebody said something that we completely miss what God may be allowing us to hear.
That brings us back to the first part of Proverbs 27:6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend.
And that almost sounds contradictory because how can a wound be faithful?
Because some wounds are intended to prevent greater damage.
Think about a surgeon. A surgeon may have to make an incision, but the incision isn't made because the surgeon wants to hurt you. The temporary wound is made because something deeper needs attention. An incision is a clean cut or opening made in a surface with a sharp tool, most commonly in the skin or tissue of the body during a medical operation. A sharp, narrow gash or the act of cutting into an object.
Sometimes love has to make an incision.
Sometimes love has to say, "I'm concerned about you."
Sometimes love has to say, "That behavior isn't healthy."
Sometimes love has to say, "You really do owe them an apology. You're wrong."
"I think you're allowing pride to keep you from seeing this clearly. "
And those conversations, truthfully, they can hurt.
But there are conversations that hurt us because somebody hates us.
And then there are conversations that hurt us because somebody loves us too much to watch us continue in doing or believing something that is damaging us.
Some conversations are difficult precisely because they are being done out of love.
Galatians 6:1 tells those who are spiritual to restore someone who has fallen in a spirit of gentleness while also watching themselves.
{Doing Good to All - Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.}
That means even when we're right, our posture matters, our tone matters, our timing matters, motives matter, humility matters.
Sometimes the conversation needs to happen immediately.
Sometimes wisdom says wait. This wisdom is Christ Jesus in you.
Sometimes it needs to be said directly.
Sometimes a question will accomplish more than an accusation.
God may tell you to speak and God may tell you to pray and let Him handle it.
That is good reason why we need wisdom on both sides.
Wisdom to know when to speak, wisdom to know how to speak, wisdom to know when to listen, and wisdom to recognize truth when it arrives.
Imagine what could happen if instead of immediately becoming defensive when someone gives us constructive feedback, we learn to say, "Let me pray about that. Let me examine myself. Is there something here that I need to see?"
And that does not mean every criticism gets access to your heart. It means you give God access to examine your heart.
And there is a difference.
You do not have to allow everybody to define you, but you should always allow God to refine you.
And sometimes God uses people to do it.
Prophet Nathan had to confront David.
His father-in-law, Jethro had to tell prophet Moses that the way he was handling leadership wasn't sustainable.
Apostle Paul confronted Peter.
Priscilla and Aquilla helped Apollos understand the way of God more accurately.
Throughout scripture, God repeatedly used people to sharpen people.
Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend," but sharpening creates friction.
It means that faithful friends can help each other become better through genuine encouragement and honest love, caring accountability.
And maybe that's the part, sharpening creates friction, we sometimes forget.
We want relationships that comfort us, but God also uses relationships to sharpen us.
We want friends who celebrate us, but sometimes God sends real friends who challenge us.
We want people who recognize our strengths, but sometimes the greatest gift someone can give us is helping us recognize an area where we still need growth.
Remember that God is still working mightly in us, till He comes for us.
So perhaps we need to change the way we look at uncomfortable truth.
Instead of immediately asking, why would they say that to me? Maybe ask God, 🗣️:"Lord, what do You want me to learn from this?"
Instead of saying, "They hurt my feelings," maybe you say, 🗣️ : "Lord, help me separate my feelings from the truth."
Instead of automatically cutting people off because they challenged us, perhaps we should examine and reexamine whether God sent them to sharpen us.
And on the other side, before we deliver difficult truth, maybe we should pray.
"God, help me say this in a way that reflects You.
"Help me say this in a way that doesn't make them feel condemned.
"Help me say this in a way that doesn't make them feel like they're on trial.
"Help me say this in a way that is loving and kind.
Because the goal here is not simply to tell the truth.
The goal here is for the truth to produce transformation.
God's truth set you free. Never to be imprisoned.
We need people who love us enough to tell us the truth.
We need humility to receive truth.
We need discernment to recognize truth.
We need wisdom to deliver truth.
And we need grace for the moments when truth hurts.
So do not automatically despise the wound.
Examine who gave it.
Examine why it was given.
Examine what is true.
Take it before God. And then let HIM decide what needs to stay and what needs to go.
Because sometimes the words that make us feel the best contribute the least to our growth.
And sometimes the conversation we least wanted to have becomes the conversation God uses to change our lives. All for His pleasure and purpose.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend. But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
May we become people who love truth more than applause.
May we become people who can receive correction without losing confidence and give correction without losing compassion.
May we become secure enough in who God says we are.
That constructive feedback does not destroy us.
And may we always remember the truth is not simply something that exposes where we are.
Truth gives us an opportunity to change where we're going.
Now, let us pray about it. 🙏🏽 🙏🏽
🗣️ : In Lord Jesus Christ's name, Heavenly Father, we come before You today thanking You because You are our God of truth and the God of love. You love us too much to leave us exactly as we are. You comfort us, encourage us, strengthen us, and affirm us. But You also correct us. You convict us, prune us, and refine us. And today, Lord, we ask you to give us hearts that are willing to receive all of You. Not only the parts that make us feel good, but also the truth that calls us higher. Father, forgive us for the times we have preferred praise from men over truth of God. Forgive us for the times we surrounded ourselves with voices that agreed with us simply because agreement was comfortable. Forgive us for becoming defensive when someone tried to help us. Forgive us for rejecting a message because we did not like the messenger. Forgive us for focusing so much on somebody's tone that we refused to examine whether there was truth in what they said. And forgive us, Lord, for those times when pride made correction feel like rejection. Teach us how to know the difference. You help us understand that being corrected does not mean we are unloved. Being challenged does not mean we are inadequate. Discovering an area where we need to grow does not erase everything You have already done in us. Give us the security to say I can be wrong and still be loved. I can need growth and still have value. I can receive correction without allowing it to become condemnation. And Father give us discernment because every criticism is not from You. Every opinion is not truth. Every voice does not deserve authority in our lives. You help us distinguish between faithful wounds and harmful words. Help us recognize the difference between someone who desires our growth and someone who does not mind destroying us. Guard our hearts from manipulation, from cruelty, from jealousy, and from condemnation. But Lord, don't allow discernment to become an excuse for defensiveness. When there is truth in something being said, give us the humility to receive it. Even when it hurts, even when it embarrasses us, even when we wish we hadn't heard it, even when it reveals something about ourselves that we would rather not confront. Help us desire truth more than comfort because we understand that truth gives us an opportunity for change. And real liberty in Christ Jesus. Lord, when you reveal something in us that needs attention, help us not to hide from it. You change us, correct us, heal us, refine us, make us teachable, make us humble, make us willing to grow. Help us to become the fullest expression of who You desire us to be. And Father, we pray not only for ourselves as receivers of truth, but also as givers of truth. Give us wisdom before we speak. Teach us when to speak and when to remain silent. Teach us what to say and how to say it. Teach us when the moment is right and when we need to wait. Purify our motives, Lord. And help us not to misuse a moment of correction. Help us not to use it for our own intents and purposes, but help us to use it in a way that glorifies You. Yes , to the praise God Your glory. Never allow us to use truth as a weapon. Never allow us to humiliate someone and call it honesty. Never allow our frustration to masquerade as correction. Never allow pride to convince us that because we see somebody else's weakness, we are somehow better than they are. Let us examine ourselves before we release the correction. Let us examine ourselves to see if there is anything in that word of correction that we need to eat before we distribute. Give us the spirit of gentleness that Your Word describes. If You call us to have a difficult conversation, let love be evident in our words, our tone, our posture, and our intentions. Help us remember that the goal here is restoration, it is not simply to be heard. When we have to say, "I'm concerned about you," let it come from love. When we have to say, "That hurt me," let it come with grace. When we have to say, "I think you're making a mistake," give us humility. And when someone says those things to us, give us that same grace to listen. Father, bless us with faithful relationships. Give us people who will celebrate us without flattering us, support us without enabling us, encourage us without deceiving us, and love us enough to tell us the truth. and make us that kind of person for someone else. You give us friends who will pray for us and sharpen us. Give us mentors who will guide us. Give us brothers and sisters who will lovingly pull us aside when necessary. And give us enough humility to thank You for them rather than pushing them away. Lord, heal those brothers and sisters who have been wounded by words that were spoken without love. Some people struggle to receive correction today because what was called correction in their past was actually humiliation. Lord, You restore their ability to trust. You teach them the difference between condemnation and loving correction. And for those of us who have wounded people through careless words, convict us. Teach us Your way. Lord, help us apologize when we need to apologize. Help us repair what we can repair. We can do what You say we can do. Help us grow in wisdom. Most of all, Father, let Your voice become the voice we desire above every other voice. When people praise us, keep us humble. When people criticize us, keep us grounded. When people misunderstand us, keep us secure. When people correct us, make us teachable. When people flatter us, give us discernment. And when people wound us, show us what to release and what to learn. Let neither compliments inflate us nor criticism destroy us. Because our identity belongs in You. Search us, God. Show us ourselves . Reveal to us the areas we cannot see. Expose our blind spots to us. Challenge our thinking, Correct our attitudes. Purify our motives. We declared that by Christ's stripes we were healed and transform our hearts. We don't only want to feel better, Lord. We want to become perfect, for You are Perfect. We don't only want affirmation, we want transformation. We don't only want people around us who make us feel comfortable. We want people around us who help us become who You have called us to be. So give us the courage to hear hard truths, the humility to receive them, the discernment to evaluate them, the wisdom to deliver them, and the grace to grow through them. May our relationships reflect Your heart. May our words reflect Your love. May our correction reflect Your gentleness. May our response reflect humility. And may every truth You allow to reach us become the grace to move closer to the person You created us to be. Father, we surrender our pride, our defensiveness, our fear of confrontation, and our need for approval. We surrender it all to You. Make us lovers of truth. Make us faithful friends. Make us gracious receivers. and continue shaping us until our lives become an expression of Your heart, Your character, Your purpose, Your pleasure . We thank You for loving us enough to comfort us when we hurt and correct us when we're wrong. We thank You for the kisses that are genuine. And we even thank You for the faithful wounds that have help us grow in Jesus' name. We received and rejoicing in Your presence, here and now. " 🙏🏽 🙏🏽
Proverbs 4:23, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."
The Bible says in Hebrews 10:24, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds."
The Bible in Proverbs 13:20, "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm."
Declare your word in Hebrews 10:23-25.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.
²³Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. ²⁵Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.…
Clear Your Word in Psalm 1:1-3.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever they do prospers.
I decree these words in my life : Blessed am I who do not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but my delight is in the law of the LORD and I meditate on His Word day and night. I am like a tree planted by streams of water, I yield fruits in seasons, and my leaves do not wither. Whatever I do prosper; to the praise of GOD'S GLORY.
