If you’ve ever lain awake at night replaying old conversations, weighed down by what others think, you’re not alone. We all know the ache of judgment sometimes from people we barely know, sometimes from those closest to us, and, if we’re honest, most often from ourselves.
But the gospel has an excellent way of bringing us back to the center. There is only one Judge. Only one who sees the whole picture, from start to finish. And His verdict is already in.
Paul, who had more than his share of critics, wrote,
“For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.”
He’s not claiming to be perfect. He’s just resting on the fact that he doesn’t have to be. The One who knows him best is the only One who truly matters, and He has already wrapped His arms of love around Paul.
Maybe you carry the sting of someone’s harsh words, or you feel the silent judgment of people who misunderstand your story. Maybe, on your worst days, you’re your own harshest critic. That’s a heavy burden to bear. But Scripture whispers,
“There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?”
In other words, why take a seat in the Judge’s chair over yourself or anyone else when it was never yours to fill?
There’s a kind of relief in surrendering that gavel. It’s not your job to make your case before the court of public opinion. You don’t have to convince the crowd or even your own heart.
“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”
That’s real freedom. You belong to God, and He is able to hold you up even when you feel like you’re falling apart.
Here’s where the gospel gets even better. Paul goes on to say,
“Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”
God knows all the motives, all the secret pain, all the tangled knots in our hearts. One day, He’ll untangle it all, not to shame but to reveal the beauty He’s been working into us all along. On that day, even the most wounded, misunderstood soul will find praise from God Himself.
Until then, you can stop living under the shadow of condemnation.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
If God isn’t condemning you, who are you to keep picking up the gavel against yourself?
It’s a hard lesson for those of us who were taught to earn approval or to fear falling short. But God’s way is so different. He doesn’t hold your failures over your head or keep score like an angry accountant. He looks at you with the eyes of a loving Father who’s already paid every debt.
Today, you need to lay down the burden of pleasing people. Maybe you need to stop replaying the “what ifs,” “should haves,” and “if only.”
Rest in the kindness of the only Judge who matters, the One who chose you, redeemed you and calls you beloved.
No one else gets to define your worth. Not even your own wounded heart.
So breathe deep. The Judge has spoken, and His word over you is love, acceptance, and hope. That’s the verdict. You can live free.