In 2 Cor. 13;5 it says, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the truth. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?" These words of Paul to the Corinthians are still good for us today, and perhaps, especially for me!
The apostle Paul reminds all readers in his letter to the church in Corinth that because they have faith and believe in Christ, they are to examine themselves to see if there are areas where they have denied Christ's entrance. Is there jealousy, envy, greed, gossiping, anger, or anything else that needs to be put to death? Or the danger hardest for me...pride!
If anything exists in you that does not belong or something that gets in your way time after time, do something about it! And this is for me, especially! We are not to judge one another! But we are to judge ourselves to see if we're following Jesus as He would want us to do.
When we get off in our faith walk, it is up to each of us to examine ourselves and set things right with God. I must go in repentance before God and admit my sin and ask Him to show me how to set things right. Then, Jesus brings me hope once again.
The Holy Spirit, trying to live within each of us, will come to us when we ask Him. I pray that my own spirit will acknowledge Him and search Him out before I let myself be bruised by my pride, fearing disrespect from another and exploding in anger. There, now you see, I live with a shadow to my spirit, and a sin hard to bear.
So, it is up to each of us to examine ourselves and set those things right which are wrong, taking our repentance before Jesus with that hope we need so desperately. "Lord Jesus, give us the wisdom and courage to examine ourselves when we stray from your Way, and the power to change. Amen."
Jo INMN
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