What God Taught Me This Week

LOOK WITHIN....This week was challenging.

While I was life coaching and ministering to others, God showed me something powerful...something we don't always want to face: ourselves...

He reminded me to look within. After listening to so many conflicts in relationships, it was easy to identify what others are doing wrong. We can quickly identify and point out attitudes, selfish behaviors and responses. But God challenged me with a deeper question: You see them, do you see you? What's in you?

As a woman of God, I began to reflect on the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5....Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. I asked myself honestly... Am I operating in patience?

Am I showing self-control, even when I feel hurt or misunderstood?

Am I responding in love?

What God showed me is this: Honest self-reflection can heal relationships.

But here's the other side of it. When someone refuses to examine themselves according to God's Word, the relationship can become toxic...not because conflict exists, but because there is no accountability, no growth and no truth being applied.

And sometimes separation is not punishment...It is protection. Protection for your spiritual health, protection for your peace and protection for your growth.

This doesn't mean we blame ourselves for everything. And it doesn't mean we tolerate what God never called us to endure. But it does mean we stay accountable before God. It means we pause and ask, "Lord is there anything in me that needs to change?"

"Is my response reflecting Your Spirit?"

"Am I walking in love, even when it is hard?"

Because accountability isn't about condemnation....it's about transformation. God isn't trying to shame us. He's trying to grow us.

This week, God taught me that growth begins within, and if we are willing to be honest with ourselves, He will heal us, mature us, and guide us in every relationship we face.

You can tell someone the truth, but you cannot control when they are ready to accept it. Growth usually happens in stages: First comes defensiveness:"You cause this."

Then comes reflection:"Maybe I did play a part in this."

And, eventually comes responsibility and change.

All of this requires self-examination rooted in truth... Because healing begins when we are willing to examine ourselves honestly before God. Growth often happens in quiet moment... in true reflection, in humility, and in surrender.

Think about it..

When we argue or disagree, what we are often really saying is .."I want to be right or I want you to agree with me". But if we truly want peace in our relationships, we have to ask ourselves the hard question.

Am I willing to give up your right to be right for the sake of peace?. Does it really matters who is right or wrong? Am I operating according to God's ways or just my feelings?

I want to challenge you this week if conflict arises... look within and ask yourself the hard questions.

Is there anything in me that needs to change?

Because growth doesn't begin when others change. It begins when we do.