The Attitude Of The Heart

I sent someone an email three weeks ago.
I selected the address from my contacts.
I found out that they never received what I sent them.

They asked me to check and see which email I used, since they have two email addresses.
Pride crept in.
I know I sent it to the right address…It probably went to their spam folder.

Pride.
I’m right.
You’re wrong.

As requested, I checked which email I used.
Still…self-righteous thoughts filled my head.
There it is...See, I did sent it to the right address…It’s not my fault!

I copied and pasted the address I had into a new email.
Wait…what’s this?
The word, F-A-M-I-L-Y, in their email address was missing the “A”.
No wonder they never received it!

Then, the enemy of our souls, the accuser, steps in at the opportune time.
See what you did…It was YOUR mistake…You were so sure…You were wrong all along!

Can you relate?
The enemy tries to get us to cower in the corner, afraid to raise our head.
The enemy reminds us of our attitude, and our mistakes, and our sin.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
(Romans 8:1,2)

No condemnation.
No beating yourself up about it.
Making it right…with the offended person…and with the Lord.

In the scheme of things, an “A” missing from an email address is not a big thing.
The attitude of my heart is!
How quick I was to assume that I was in the right, and the other person was wrong.
Even something as simple as an incorrect email address.

What if our hearts were laid bare?
What if our thoughts were exposed for everyone to see?
What if?

No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:43-45)

Out of the overflow of the heart his mouth speaks.

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time…thus said Abraham Lincoln.

You can fool people…one time or another.
You can never fool God!

We can all talk a good game.
We can put our best face forward.
Under the mask is who we really are.
That is the person God sees.

Our heart is laid bare before him.
Our thoughts are exposed.
He loves us anyway.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing is all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
(Hebrews 5:12,13)

That is the hardest part of the Christian walk.
The spirit and the flesh.
Often the two are diametrically opposed to each other.
This side of heaven, they will continue to be.

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. (Galatians 5:17)

The enemy points and accuses and blames and discourages.
God draws us near, does not condemn, and encourages our hearts in Him.
We need to read God’s Word, study God’s Word, hide God’s Word in our hearts.
As we do that, God through His Spirit will transform our heart.

Take off the mask.
Lay down the pride.
Put aside self-righteousness.
Those qualities have no part in kingdom work.

I say…to myself!