James 4: ⁶ You may think that the situation is hopeless, but God gives us more grace when we turn away from our own interests. That’s why Scripture says, God opposes the proud, but He pours out grace on the humble. ⁷ So submit yourselves to the one true God and fight against the devil and his schemes. If you do, he will run away in failure. ⁸ Come close to the one true God, and He will draw close to you. Wash your hands; you have dirtied them in sin. Cleanse your heart, because your mind is split down the middle, your love for God on one side and selfish pursuits on the other.

Since the beginning, our loving Creator has been pursuing us, drawing us closer to Him. He invites us to move closer to Him so we can be fully His.

⁹ Now is the time to lament, to grieve, and to cry. Dissolve your laughter into sobbing, and exchange your joy for depression. ¹⁰ Lay yourself bare, facedown to the ground, in humility before the Lord; and He will lift your head so you can stand tall. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, do not assault each other with criticism. If you decide your job is to accuse and judge another believer, then you are a self-appointed critic and judge of the law; if so, then you are no longer a doer of the law and subject to its rule; you stand over it as a judge. ¹² Know this—there is One who stands supreme as Judge and Lawgiver. He alone is able to save and to destroy, so who are you to step in and try to judge another?

I look at v8 and it states our mind is split down the middle.. part of us wanting our own will and part of us loving God.. I agree that is true... even when we act and talk as if it is not... even if we really do want God's will for our lives.. we still battle to die to self and our own wants... I don't think that just dies because we don't want to be like that or because we know it is wrong... it still lingers and we have to cast it out or cast it down over and over....

I think of us judging others... we all like to imagine we don't... but we do.. even if it is in small and seemingly irrelevant ways... we may not look at someone in judgement over some things... maybe we do not say that they cannot be saved because of their actions... but we judge them for something else... maybe the type of mother they are.. or the way they dress.. or the way they talk....

I heard that people are talking about someone I know recently.. that possibly he has done something sinful.. and I think... while we think that we are all supposed to walk upright... and that is what we strive for.. don't we all have our weaknesses? does this really reflect his relationship with God? I would be judgemental and say yes it does.. because if I can give up things for my relationship with God.. why couldn't someone else?? maybe it is about spiritual maturity.. maybe someone SHOULD BE spiritually mature enough to not outright sin.. but is that reality?

is an outward sin any different than a sin in attitude or anger or even the fact that someone would judge someone else... would their outward sin be any different than me determining they must not be completely right with God.. maybe I am not completely right with God because I am thinking like that...

on the flip side.. can we allow people to just sin openly and teach or hold positions in the church? my opinion is that they should have to step down... but am I right in that feeling? is that judging someone?

I think if we were minding our own business we may not even know someone else's situation... and unless they come and talk to us about it.. I think we are to leave it to leadership... pray and sin not... don't talk about it to others.. don't dwell on it.. don't look at them differently..... I really think this is the right thing... if they do come and talk to us personally... all we can do is give the advice in the word of God and pray with them... then let it go... trust God to take care of it....

we need to stop talking about one another.. we need to be a safe place to others... and the way to become that is to become trustworthy and honest...