Have you ever been accused of something you didn’t do? Big or small, no matter what the situation, no one likes to be blamed. Whether we are guilty or not, we don’t want to be accused.
Let’s say someone accuses you of lying. If you actually told a lie, you aren’t suddenly okay that someone is calling you out; in fact, guilt sets in and anxiety presses down.
If you didn’t tell a lie, you don’t look at the person accusing you and pretend all is okay. You want to defend yourself because you don’t want to be accused of doing something you didn’t do, and frustration sets in, and still, anxiety presses down.
Accused, guilty or not, is not a feeling anyone wants to feel. The words that are spoken when being accused are harsh, painful, and bring feelings we work hard to stay away from.
The Bible is very clear that we have an enemy called “the accuser.” That is what he goes around doing to you and to me. Continually accusing us of things, we may have done or maybe didn’t do at all. He highlights every sin as if he is the one who hands down the punishment for our mistakes. Or he takes the righteous things we are doing and accuses us of not doing them good enough. He is continually accusing us of something, attempting to keep us distracted from the grace around us.
Honest moment! I said something ugly about someone else the other day. It was wrong, and I instantly felt terrible for what I did, my heart and mind were genuinely sorry. And that is where forgiveness and grace step into the scene. But the accuser for the next day or so continually brought that moment to my mind and told me how fake, mean, and disappointed I should be. I was guilty and had reached for grace, but that didn’t stop the accuser from his accusations.
On the other hand, there have been times I have done things, given things, posted things, out of a pure and right heart. But soon after the accuser began whispering words like:
“You did this out of selfish gain.”
“You just want to be noticed,”
“You’re just trying to promote yourself.”
In either scenario, the accusation, don’t bring peace but instead offer anxiety. No wonder we live in a world where anxiety is continually controlling people. It is because we have a very real enemy accusing us of anything he can come up with.
But here’s the deal, it’s one thing to recognize the anxiety that comes from accusations. But it’s another to receive the grace given by the One who is continually interceding, inviting us into His peace.
While the accuser is regularly speaking lies, our Savior is continually speaking grace and love over us to the Father. There is power in words, life, and death. And while there is one speaking death that spurs anxiety, there is One more powerful speaking grace and truth over us. His words hang over us like a banner of love, and His perfect love casts out all fear.
So, as we move about our day, let us become aware of the accuser’s words. You will know them because they bring fear, anxiety, condemnation, and shame. And when these feelings start to rise, we must learn to raise our eyes to the hills where our help comes from.
We should embrace the words that Jesus is continually speaking over us, allowing peace and love to sweep over our hearts and minds.
There is an accuser, and there is an interceder, both speaking words, but we get to choose whose words we will embrace.
Wil you accept being accused or will you be graced by words of life?
Rest in the grace that our Savior is continually raining down words of life that set us free, sends us out in purpose, and allows us to flourish.
Pray and worship together.
Never never take one another for granted.
Remember Anything you do for/to your spouse you are doing to yourself. You’re a reflection of each other.
And always remember what your Grandmother told you.