Hi, Karen,
WOW this one was great. Just a couple of days ago “the other mother in law” said some terrible things about me to my daughter. (She’s a Christian) Some weren’t true, some were bizarre, and oh did it ever hurt. Felt like somebody kicked me in the chest real hard. I was “astonished”. My initial reaction was so much anger and self defense. I realized I’ve been praying for God to help me get closer to Him. hmmm – connection here? I think so. It has been very humbling for me to work through this. Nehemiah faced lies, Jesus endured horrendous blaspheming, Paul was always persecuted. Who am I??? Someone who needs to “mind my own sin”. Thanks so much :}

Karen,
WOW! God sure does know when to send particular messages, doesn’t He? I’ve been going through a time of feeling hurt by friends and allowing it to fester inside me. You see, I went to a conference in St. Louis, where I presented a paper on a controversial human rights topic. There was potential for heated argument, so I hoped that my friends who attended the conference would come and support me, in case anything got out of hand. Unfortunately, none of those friends decided to attend the session. My new university, where I am at now, had a group of students there, but I did not know any of them at all, and did not feel their support would be as good as my old friends, whom I trusted very much (known most for 2+ years). Anyway, long story short, I was very hurt, disappointed, and devastated that my friends chose sight-seeing instead of supporting me. I am still sad about it, bitter, even, but these verses today have helped me look past that and into my own heart. I am not perfect, I’ve not always been there for them, etc. The perfect timing behind God’s placing this devotion for me today is that I am having a girl’s night out with one of those friends, my best friend, in fact, and she is one of those that was at conference that went sight-seeing. I can tell that my attitude has changed towards her, and I don’t like it one bit. I realized, though, through these verses you provided, that I am guilty of doing the same thing sometimes. How often have I chosen to go do something else, and not be there for a friend in need. Sure, I’ve been able to justify my decision, but I still feel like I could have made more effort to go be with my friend and give support. Anyway, this morning’s word from God gave me a proverbial spanking just in time. Now, I can go to our girl’s night out with no bitterness, anger, or sadness. I can enjoy my time with friends without having any lingering thoughts. I thank God that you listened to His prompting and guidance in writing this devotion. It has truly meant so much to me, and ultimately, to any relationship I have. I’m not the perfect, innocent friend that I’ve allowed myself to believe I am, and I am okay with knowing this. After all, we must come humbly before God and acknowledge our sins. If I think I am perfect and innocent, then that is, indeed, sinful and achieves nothing. I want to go to the Throne with a humble heart and receive forgiveness with nothing hindering my time with my Father.
Thank you, Karen, for helping me see the wicked ways in me. Be blessed today, and every day.

Well, that spoke to me today! It is so easy to blame others, when we really need to look at our response or thoughts about a situation. Thanks for the prayer and the Romans 12:17-19 – I have that written down for future reference!

I REALLY needed to hear this today!! and I’m in!! I could really use a bible to hold close to my heart.

Thanks for the reminder that we can’t change others, only our own attitudes and actions and control only our own tongue. Our pastor gave a message this weekend on the very verse you used in your devotional on examining our own hearts. How timely is that? Thanks Karen.
Another verse I use in difficult relationships is Eph 4:32. Some one else also mentioned it.
“Instead, be kind to each another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just a God through Christ Jesus forgave you.”

Wow!! I recently had a huge relationship issue with a dear friend of mine. I kept praying to God, this is not right. She is a Christian and should admit she is wrong and has hurt my feelings. And after a few weeks (yes I am stubborn) I read Psalm 139. It was like a light bulb. God telling me alls I hear you saying is me me me. Even as I was writing my apology i still felt i was the one wronged. Slowly though I have had peace about it and realize I was being so selfish and just needed to focus on my own sin. The friendship is still fragile but I know within time God will mend it back. Thank you so much for this reminder!

Karen, this was really close to my heart. I went to church with a girl that I thought was my best friend. One day we were talking on the phone, and I made a general comment. She began acting real cold to me at church. One night at a deacons meeting, I ask her husband “what is wrong with Sue, she is not talking to me or calling?” He said “well let’s put it this way she is one person that reads her Bible”. I knew exactly what he was talking about. She took what I said completly out of context. I ask for forgiveness from her, I went to the alter one Sun. asking for forgiveness from God, I have dug in scriptures, I still can’t get this off of my mind. It really bothers me. I hope reading today’s devotional will bear on my mind. I have done everything the Lord tells us to do. I don’t know what else to do. Thank you Karen for your devotionals. I hope I can win this Bible. I think it will be a big help to me in my daily devotionals in understanding the scriptures better.
A Sister in Christ
Janice Floyd
34379 Rocky River Springs Rd.
Norwood, NC 28128
Phone (704) 474-4006 (Home)
(704) 984-0061 (Cell)
e-mail jjfloyd@carolina.rr.com

Karen,

What a wonderful devotional and blog post. I have been in the midst of some trying relationships and seeking God for His will in the situations. As you mentioned, there is almost always something for God to take his Holy scalpel to. Thank you for this today…it was a fresh reminder to go back and let God do the work He needs to do in me and then trust the outcome (and the people) to Him.

God Bless!

I don’t often follow the links at the bottom of the Proverbs 31 devotionals, because I know that I will get “sucked in” to reading more and more, and my time is so dear. Then I realized, it isn’t MY time at all, it’s His. And if He wants me to follow a link and read a blog, all the more reason to do so. Thank you, dear sister, for your blog and today’s devotional. I often told my children when they were growing up, “The only person you’re responsible for is you.” But I like your phrase better: “Mind MY own sin.” Thank you and God bless you. (and, selfishly, I hope I win that Bible!)

Beautiful devo, thank you friend. mel

I am in recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol and one of the steps to recovery is to do a housecleaning or personal inventory. When doing stepwork with my sponsor, she tricked me by having me write out all the people that I was mad at – boy, was that easy. Then she had me write why I was mad at them – again, very easy. I next had to write what part of my life it effected. Finally, she asked me to go through my list and write what I had done to provoke their behavior or how I was using what happened as an excuse for bad behavior today. I learned very quickly that many times what I am mad at someone else about is a direct reflection of myself. This is not an easy thing to swallow and I still find myself today having to take inventory once in a while to figure out what needs cleaning on my part. Once that is identified, I bring it to my wonderful, forgiving, comforting, loving Daddy who sometimes strokes my hair and tells me that I can do better and He will help me, and other times scolds me (because that is exactly what I need sometimes and He knows that) into realizing that I am being self centered rather than God centered or others centered. This bring such healing to me. When I read your devotion today I am reminded of the steps and how freeing they were for me. I am also convicted and realize that I need to clean house again and let my loving Father search my heart. Thank you for your gentle reminder.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

I am constantly amazed that God knows what you need, just when you need it. I haven’t been reading the P31 devotions very diligently lately, but I had time this morning and thought I would catch up on the last couple. WOW! Both of them was just what I needed to hear. Over the weekend I had had a big pity party for myself. I have struggled with both issues you talked about in your piece today. Now cancer free, but friend issues are totally bringing me down. I am feeling all alone, but I do know that I am never alone. Sometimes I just need a little reminder and God is faithful to do just that. When I was going through chemo, Psalm 139 was my main stay. It has become my very favorite passage. Thank you for being obediant and writing this so God could do His work in me.

Thanks, I need a new bible as mine is falling apart.

I need to learn this lesson and apply it more often in my life. I too often get stuck in the “what about me?” syndrom!

That was a great devotion. I want to be more mindful of how I treat my friendships as well. Thanks

In addition to being a friendly reminder to myself, I will use this as an example, when I am teaching on Wednesday AM on the “The Liberated Heart” (on condemnation). This will be a great addition to the section on condemnation vs. conviction.

An additional thought… when I am confronting others because it is “the right thing to do”, that’s when I need a serious heart check. It usually means that self-righteousness and pride are “my sin to mind” and I don’t have gracious compassion as my motivation.

Thank you for the devotion – exactly what I needed this morning! Beautiful bible… thank you, also, for the drawing! Someone will be lucky to win

What a great devotion! It is amazing how each devotion seems to hit a chord. Thank you.

This verse just always seems to cover it all for me!

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Great Devotion today! Thank you.

I try to look at situations from the other persons point and remember that we are all in different places with our walk.. And that trying to live at peace with people is what God wants~easier said then done many times!

First of all a prayer for Nette for the Lord’s peace in her heart and wisdom and guidance for her doctor/medical people. I have a hard time letting go of wrongs. And feeling so miserable while I dwell on them – how foolish is that? I’ll let God work on the other person while I work on me…and “mind my own sin”. What a great phrase!

Wonderful reminder! Right on time as well.

Psalm 101:2, “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.”

Today, it is ingrained in us more and more to be careless, or to have a callous indifference about anything other than ourselves, to be, perhaps, rash in our speech or conduct or thoughts, and to live our life as we want. This godly resolve is saying, I don’t want to live my life as I want. I don’t want to live my life without thought as I stand before God. But I want my life to be consistent with the Word of God, to be consistent with my confession as a child of God.

Father, I pray let it be so for me!

This reaches into the depths of the heart with God’s loving and gentle touch. I’m going to print it out for when I have a wrong attitude about being hurt.

WOW!!! Yesterday during our pastor’s message, he said “Are you thinking of someone that needed to hear this message and coming up with names – we all need to hear something in this message don’t look any further than ourselves.” I’ve been thinking and talking a lot about how can we see the speck in our brother’s eye when we have a boulder in our eye and then this devotion – it is like am I looking at other people’s faults and sins and not concentrating on my own? I really needed to read this devotion and concentrate on my faults and sins and not others. Thank you Karen I never really noticed that “wicked ways in me” before – you have opened my eyes. Our Lord is gracious, merciful, and good. Praise the Lord!!!!

Did I ever need this!! It took two years of Godly counseling for me to even begin to grasp this concept, and after reading this I realize how much of tending to the sins of others has crept into my life again!! There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 applies to everybody, not just me. So why do I feel so free to condemn? Time to hit my knees and let Jesus do some heart-surgery on me!

I love seeing God at work! Thank you so much for today’s devotional. I also am reading your organization book. My favorite verses are Romans 12 (all), 1 Cor 13:4-7, and Col 3:12-14.

Thank you for today’s devotional! It is exactly what I needed as I keep going from troubled relationship to troubled relationship and keep asking myself why? What is it I keep doing wrong? I do not own a bible so these devotionals have been a blessing for me as so many of them seem to “hit home”.
Thank you so much!

Hi!
That e-mail really helped me today. I have been having these
feelings about a friend who we sort of “fell out”. The reason was
something minor that she has seemed to be over but I am not.
My friend and I use to share everything, we both are unemployed single mothers who leaned on each other when possible. Recently that friend has come into a financial blessing that I for some reason felt I was entitled to receive some. I thought of all the times when I was working and gave money to help her out when she need, but not once did she offer to help me out. Now at the time I helped it was genuine and wanted nor expected anything in return, but for some reason it bother me that she didn’t even ask me to dinner. Long story short after reading devotion today I realize that this is “MY” problem of envy or jealousy is not hers and that I need to “Mind my own SIN!” I need someone to remind me of that. Thank You.

Again you have a wonderful devotional for us. Going to share this one with my 17 year old daughter. Thanks!