WEDNESDAYS DEVOTION :)

[Guest guest]

FROM: THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE DEVOTIONAL

BY ROBERT S. MCGEE

ONE UP-----ONE DOWN

THEREFORE CONSIDER THE

MEMBERS OF YOUR EARTHLY

BODY AS DEAD TO IMMORALITY,

IMPURITY, PASSION, EVIL

DESIRE, AND GREED, WHICH

AMOUNTS TO IDOLATRY. FOR IT

IS ON ACCOUNT OF THESE

THINGS THAT THE WRATH OF

GOD WILL COME, AND IN THEM

YOU ALSO ONCE WALKED, WHEN

YOU WERE LIVING IN THEM. BUT

NOW YOU ALSO, PUT THEM ALL

ASIDE: ANGER, WRATH, MALICE,

SLANDER, AND ABUSIVE SPEECH

FROM YOUR MOUTH.

__________________COLOSSIANS 3:5-8

SOMETIMES, WE BLAME OTHERS TO MAKE OURSELVES FEEL BETTER. BY BLAMING

SOMEONE ELSE WHO FAILED, WE FEEL SUPERIOR. IN FACT, THE HIGHER THE

POSITION OF THE ONE WHO FAILED (PARENT, BOSS, PASTOR, ETC.), THE FARTHER

THEY FALL, AND OFTEN, THE BETTER WE FEEL. THIS DESIRE TO BE SUPERIOR, TO

BE " ONE UP " ON SOMEONE, IS AT THE ROOT OF GOSSIP.

IN OTHER SITUATIONS, HOWEVER, JUST THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE. WHEN A

PARENT FAILS, A CHILD USUALLY ACCEPTS THE BLAME FOR THAT FAILURE. EVEN

AS ADULTS, WE MAY READILY ASSUME BLAME IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE

IN AUTHORITY. WE HAVE MUCH INVESTED IN SUPPORTING THOSE WE DEPEND UPON.

THIS IS ONE REASON WHY DENIAL IS SO STRONG IN ABUSIVE FAMILIES. FOR

EXAMPLE, ONE LITTLE GIRL SAID, " I NEVER TOLD ANYBODY THAT DADDY WAS

MOLESTING ME BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT SOMEBODY WOULD TAKE HIM AWAY FROM

OUR FAMILY. "

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DESCRIBE THREE RECENT INCIDENTS IN YOUR LIFE IN WHICH YOU FEARED BEING

BLAMED OR PUNISHED. WHY DID YOU HAVE THIS FEAR?

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JESUS, IT'S NOT EASY TO STAND UP AND ACCEPT THE FULL RESPONSIBILITY OF

MY WRONGDOINGS. I AM COMFORTED, THOUGH, BY KNOWING THAT YOU ARE PLEASED

BY MY EFFORTS TO DO SO. THANK YOU FOR . . . .

GENTLEHUGS AND PRAYERS

SAM