Suspicious of suspicion

In today's scripture, these words about love are familiar to most of us, but I can honestly say that living them has not always been easy for me. As a child, I was not exposed to this kind of love--in fact, I was taught to be suspicious of everyone. I was told that the motives of other people were not to be trusted.

While it is wise to be aware of people's motives, we must be careful that we don't allow our suspicious nature to negatively affect our feelings about everyone. An overly suspicious nature can poison your mind and affect your ability to love and accept other people. Consider this example.

Suppose a friend approaches you after a church service, and says, "Do you know what Doris thinks about you?" Then the friend tells you every detail of the things Doris said. The first problem is that a true friend wouldn't share such information. And the second problem is that with an already suspicious mind, you now believe secondhand information.

Suppose that one day in church, Doris is sitting just a few rows in front of you, praising the Lord. Immediately you think, "She's such a hypocrite."

Then the Holy Spirit directs your thoughts to your own condition, and the fact that you were praising the Lord while harboring bad feelings toward Doris. Didn't Jesus tell us to make peace with others before we present our gifts to Him? (See Matthew 5:24.)

Convicted by these words of Jesus, you apologize to Doris for the bad feelings you have toward her...and she stares at you in absolute shock. Then you realize your mistake. You misinterpreted the information your friend shared with you about Doris, allowing the devil to turn you against a wonderful, godly woman.

This is a good example of how suspicion can cripple relationships and destroy our joy while it leads us astray.

It's taken me such a long time to understand that when we love God's way, we have no place for suspicion. I pray that I can love like you Lord .
Love endures long and is patient and
kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is
not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself
haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is
not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love
(God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its
own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no
account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and
unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth
prevail. Love bears up under anything and
everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes
are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without
weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or
comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and
purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues,
they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will
pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMP)

Wow. This is just fantastic

Well shared!

I see the devil at work. Let us not be fooled by the obvious. The devil is very crafty, and his intention is actually to make you lose your place in God. Suspicion will lead to mistrust, it will lead bitterness, it will lead to hatred, it will lead to grudge, it will lead to vindictiveness, it will lead to separation, it will lead to pretence, it will lead to enmity.

Suspicion is only the seed. Watch of for the gemination of full war.

The devil's agent in this matter is this so-called in-between 'friend' who is close enough to the 'enemy' to receive information about you (trust me it was actually juicy gossip about you), and close enough to you to hand over to you the embellished devastating news!

This is not a friend, but a pretender. Your friendship or developing friendship with your alleged 'accuser' is like a knife in his/her gut.

Be very careful, before you lose your place in God. That is what the devil is actually after.

Trustworthy
Proverbs 11:13
He who goes about talking of others makes secrets public, but the true- hearted man keeps things covered.

A separator of friends
Proverbs 16:28
A man of twisted purposes is a cause of fighting everywhere: and he who says evil secretly makes trouble between friends.

Gossips and Busybodies
1 Timothy 5:13
And they get into the way of doing no work, going about from house to house; and not only doing no work, but talking foolishly, being over- interested in the business of others, saying things which they have no right to say.

Watch what you say
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear. it may give grace to them that hear.

Dwell on things worthy of praise
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is fair, whatever is pure, whatever is acceptable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything of excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy- keep thinking about these things.

Be careful not to stir up anger
Proverbs 15:1
By a soft answer wrath is turned away, but a bitter word is a cause of angry feelings.

Proverbs 15:4
A comforting tongue is a tree of life, but a twisted tongue is a crushing of the spirit.

God is the only true judge
James 4:11-12
Do not criticize each other, brothers. Whoever makes it his habit to criticize his brother or to judge his brother is judging the law and condemning the law. But if you condemn the law, you are not a doer of the law but its judge. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge- the one who can save and destroy. So who are you to judge your neighbor?

Trustworthy,trustworthy a we me am scare Kikiki

Scared? Why?

Are you going around talking about people and uncovering secrets, or are you afraid because somebody out there has your secrets and is going round about to disclose?

Are we to be frightened by the Lord's instructions?

Please it is to reprove, to correct, to instruct in righteousness so that we will be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works!

Am scared to trust but I never lost my hope I trust in him amen

Reverend it is very edifying, how powerful. It is so amazing how I have seen myself in both of the posts .........it is so glaring and I trust that The Lord is using this is as a means to change me. I pray that I will be humble enough to realize that in my carnality I have gossiped, come between friends,judged, stirred up anger, been a separator of friends and such. I know now that in as much as I don't trust people there are people who don't trust me because of my actions.

I thank The Lord for His word and above all I thank Him for making me see myself in it.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17 KJV)