Never Accept Condemnation From Others or Yourself – ”Who I Am In Christ” Firm Foundation 21-Day Devotional

Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

One of the complex and recurring problems that many people face is the feeling of condemnation. “Condemn” means, "To pronounce to be guilty, to sentence to punishment, or to pass judgment against.”

Condemnation is complex because it can present in many ways: 1) As real, 2) As imagined, 3) From others against yourself, 4) You against yourself, 5) As a demonic attack.

Regardless of the source, the feeling is the same: You feel guilty of something. You think you deserve punishment. This feeling can linger like a dark cloud blocking all light. The mind can replay bad experiences and hurtful words, long after (sometimes years and decades after!), something occurred. Recalling past pain creates another problem, because pain distorts memory. The distortion can become so severe that the mind can create an alternate reality – to include past things imagined that feel real when looking back at it. Real things that occurred in the past can torture your present.

There is no minimizing trauma and there are no easy answers if you are dealing with unresolved matters. This blog post is not your entire answer. Sometimes, you must reach out for help from people qualified to provide expert support such as pastoral or professional counseling.

In all cases, self-condemnation offers nothing helpful. When you've done something wrong, the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin. This may feel like condemnation, but it is not. Conviction of sin is a genuine and helpful feeling that you need to "get it right" with God and others. Neglecting the Lord, His Word, and fellowship with believers opens the door to negative feelings and mindsets such as condemnation.

Every feeling of condemnation is unnecessary because:

1. Jesus has forgiven your sins and changed your heart (if you received Him as Lord). There is NOTHING about which to feel condemned…not even things people say to you.

2. GRACE IS STRONG. It is stronger than your mistakes. It is stronger than controlling people who want to use feeling of guilt to control you. It is stronger than the devil who is called, "The accuser of our brothers and sisters..." (Revelation 12:10)

3. When you "walk in the Spirit' or walk with God moment-by-moment, you will find encouragement everywhere you look.

Reflection Questions:
1. Do you need pastoral or professional counseling to address neglected matters?
2. Why is a feeling of condemnation never necessary?
3. What will you do to allow grace to develop in your life?