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DON’T STONEWALL “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.” -Proverbs 18:1 It’s interesting to see how two people who traveled with Jesus could both mess up really badly, and yet one of those individuals is used to start the Church, while the other one hangs himself on a tree until his guts spill on the ground –ugh! What was the difference? I’m referring to Peter and Judas. They both betrayed Jesus. Judas gave information that led to his capture. When he realized what he had done he was very regretful and sorry he had done it. Peter didn’t betray him to others, but he did deny he knew him, even after he had promised specifically that this is one thing he would never do. Then he even cursed him just to convince people he is not one of his followers. What a wimp! Judas hung himself; Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and 3,000 souls were saved and the Church was born. What was the difference between the two men? Judas isolated himself, where the enemy could convince him of destructive lies. Peter stayed with other believers and pursued Christ. Whenever we isolate ourselves out of selfish desire, shame or fear it leads to no good end. There are times to get alone with God, but our motive then is to pursue Christ, not run away from Him and others. When we “stonewall” we keep others out of our lives. We also remain trapped inside, all by ourselves where the enemy of our souls can have a field day in our minds. Things don’t get better; they get worse. It’s in the darkness of isolation that the root of bitterness grows. We must be available to each other, physically and emotionally. Don’t stonewall. Be courageous; be there - fully! Questions to Ask Each Other: Is stone walling part of our interpersonal relationship? When do I feel like you are getting behind your stone wall? When do I feel like running behind mine? Prayer for the Both of us: Lord, help us to be courageous enough to get out from behind our stone walls. Help us to be present for each other, physically and emotionally, so that we can deal with our conflicts in a spirit of truth and grace. |
© 2007 Marriage & Family Savers Ministries