There was a time when I wanted so badly to belong.
To be accepted.
To be part of certain circles.
And if I am honest, there were seasons where comparison and even envy tried to sit in my heart.
I did not hide my struggles well.
They showed.
And for a long time, I felt judged for them.
Not always through words.
Sometimes judgment has no voice.
It lives in body language.
In silence.
In the way someone’s presence grows cold.
Attitude speaks long before lips ever do.
But something has changed in me.
God has been doing a deep work in my heart. A work that started with correction, then healing, and now clarity. And with that clarity came something unexpected — compassion.
Recently, I saw something that shifted my perspective.
I realized that sometimes the loudest judgment comes from the deepest hidden struggle.
The very thing someone criticizes in you… may be the very thing they are fighting in secret.
And instead of feeling hurt, I felt sorrow.
The kind of sorrow Scripture describes when Jesus looked at the crowd and was moved in His spirit. Not anger. Not pride. Compassion.
Because pretending is exhausting.
Living behind an image is heavy.
And judging others can sometimes be a shield people use to hide from their own reflection.
This is not written to expose anyone.
It is written to remind all of us — including me — of the importance of self-examination.
Before we judge a life, a journey, a process… we must ask:
What am I hiding?
What am I avoiding dealing with in myself?
God has taught me that transparency brings freedom. I have laid my flaws before Him and before people. Not because it is comfortable, but because healing cannot happen in hiding.
Alignment with God sharpens discernment.
When you stay connected to the Vine, your spiritual eyes open.
Not to criticize — but to understand.
Not to condemn — but to pray.
So today, instead of defending myself against judgment, I choose compassion.
Because we are all in process.
And sometimes the one pointing the finger is the one hurting the most.
May we learn to look inward before looking outward.
May we trade judgment for mercy.
And may God heal the hidden battles we are too afraid to admit.
REMINDER:
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32
