The confession of an opinion giver

R

rainydaygirl Oct 5, 2012

I am an opinion giver. I spend my time on the forums giving opinions and thoughts on topic that I have great understanding, foresight, and knowledge about. I feel compelled to share my opinions with others because of course with out them they would be worse off in life. If others don't see things my way I have been known to spend endless hours attempting to persuade them, because after all I'm right and they need to see things my way. I have such great love for others around me and I know if they will just stop long enough to listen and really hear the wisdom in my words then all will be well for them. I really want to be sure and help them on to the right path, and in my opinion that is the path I am on.

Before I go any further though, I will admit one thing as an opinion giver, I secretly have a deep desire to be recognized, have others think well of me and praise me. I want them to think that I have things that are worth saying so they will listen to my opinions. On some level I guess I realize this goes against my walk with Christ...the whole self wanting praise when all praise should and does belong to the Lord. I will admit that sometimes does cause a struggle. There are times when I think maybe I don't have all the “RIGHT” answers but then I realize this must be an attack from the enemy after all I spend hours reading the Bible. I have to carry on giving my opinions to others who really need them. After all it can't be sin to share ones thoughts and opinions, its harmless chatter to most and can be really helpful to others in need. When you think about it all I am doing is just giving important opinions on little life issues that each of us might face. That is actually being helpful. Honestly what could be so bad about giving an opinion on wearing makeup, or eating to much, or watching television, or head covers, or voting, or....well you get the idea.

Really it all seems so harmless to me... except...except when those few times come up...those very few times when things don't go my way, when deep down inside I harbor ill feelings toward others for not listening to me. Those times when I allow anger, and hurt to take root in my heart, times when I have found that the more others disagree with me the more these two weeds, anger and hurt seem to grow stronger inside of me... and soon they are choking off any love or softness that might have been in my heart. Sometimes these two weeds cause an even uglier monster to raise up inside of me...Pride! Once pride has been summoned the battle really begins, now I must have the last word, I must be heard, and others must see things my way. IF they don't then I have no choice but to crush them, to make them feel small, and to prove to all around I was right...after all I stand for Jesus!

Its strange though even if I have won the debate and everyone agrees with me...there are times...not as often as use to be...but still there are times when later after I have signed off, times when I am sitting alone with just Jesus, times when I am in prayer that I see “opinion giving” as a conflict in my walk with the Lord. Sometimes...not always but sometimes I feel at odds with my Savior for giving “my opinions” in this way. Sometimes I even feel bad about it but that must be the enemy attacking me right?? I mean really I am just trying to help others see things as they should, after all I stand for Jesus so the problem has to be with them it can't ever really be my sin...................................................right?

I

iceman9 Oct 5, 2012

Well done rainydaygirl.

Well written - point taken.

sermonindex Oct 6, 2012

Oh I was so much like you here many times over. I had to learn something about people, everyone is on a different level of understanding, not everyone is going to hear, not everyone is going to understand and not everyone will see what your trying to spit out.

I had a dream/vision or whatever it might be and one of the things that stood out in the dream was I saw brethren getting saved, people of all walks of life sitting fellowshipping and Jesus was right in the middle of it. Then someone spoke up and said, "how do you know your saved?", then another spoke up and started giving his opinion and then a debate ensued. While I was sitting there with them hearing all this go on, I noticed that Jesus was no longer in the room (in the dream we were on a tour bus) I saw Him walking up the side of the mountain to which He came down from at the beginning. I ran to meet Him and He told me to go back and be a light to the brethren.

Well.....I ain't much of light let me tell you. So I went back and the dream ended. There was much much more to that dream and about the revival that is to come and if anyone has any preconceived ideas of what part they will play, I can assure you that there was absolutely no room for the operation of any one man's show save the Lord Jesus Christ. The rain came down so hard that it was impossible for any man to do anything.

I learned from that RDG that when a thread starts to get heated, I walk away. The Lord told me that He is not even in the room when that stuff is going on and if He is not there, all the opinions in the world will not amount to a hill of beans because no one is listening. People of that mindset can't wait for the person to shut up giving their opinion so they can spew out theirs.

Depending on the level that a person is on, they can't receive something that you might have knowledge of. For example, you can hear a sermon and be blessed and in your excitement you tell others to hear it and they hear it and they don't have that same joy that you got out of it. You heard something, they didn't. Are they wrong? are they deaf? not necessarily. They may not be at the level that they can receive that message. So you just love them.

I sometimes go back to old books that I once wept and cried with the author who wrote. Books like, "Now that I believe", I don't get the same reaction that I once had back in the day. The moment that I read that it was my time to read it. Now, it's of no use, I know better. The doubts I had then I don't have now.

My Sister used to be bothered when someone didn't understand her point of view. She would try every story, angle to get that person to see something of what she was trying to say and if they peep, "er, yeah, I see a little bit of what your saying" and with that she will expound further so that you can get the fullness. She knows how to talk and sometimes a person would just cave in saying they "see" just to shut her up. Been there done that.

I used to want to be right too. But I found that it doesn't matter if I am right at all. I didn't want to let go of my pride that I have some contribution to offer and yet I had nothing to offer. When I stopped the silly notion of wanting to be right, I have people seeking me out for my opinion, or advice or just for fellowship. To be frank, I don't care if I am ever right. If I am right, the Holy Spirit will vindicate my words, if not, it's time to be quiet for awhile.

I probably was off topic, but I thought I exhaust the subject a wee bit.

R

rainydaygirl Oct 6, 2012

Hey thanks for reading the thread. It really is a pretty accurate picture of what I struggle with sometimes.
rdg

Edited because what I had written just was not very clear.

sermonindex Oct 6, 2012

Consider Jesus through His temptation on the cross. He could have spoken, and came down off the cross at the mockery of the Jews when they said, "If thou be the Son of God, come down off the cross and we'll believe". But He kept silent.

When Pilot asked Him, "What is Truth?", Jesus could have given him much to think about, but He remained silent.

You have a gift to persuade men unto the truth, but it needs to be harnessed. You need to "feel" out the Spirit of the Lord when to say nothing, when to speak and when to expound. Usually when you've spend much time in prayer your not apt to say much until you "feel" to speak.

Why is this important? It's important because you could do more harm than good. Have you ever tried to ram a piece of steak down a toddlers throat? Of course not, but the same applies to young believers that may not understand what your trying to say to them. Strong meat is offensive to one who is only eating vegetables or drinking milk. The same thing they are offended at today, in time they are able to swallow, but today they cannot not and it's not up to us to cause them to grow. One soweth, one watereth, but God giveth the increase.

Your temptation may be to push at something that does not have the backing of the Holy Spirit. You'll need to resist that and if you've spent sometime in His presence you will know when to go ahead and expound further for you will feel the liberty to do so. But if we are struggling and straining trying to convince our audience, most likely we are operating in the realm of the flesh.

When the flesh is in operation, it's a repulsive stench in the nostrils of God. Why? Because Christ nailed the flesh to the cross, it was at enmity against God, it could never be subjected unto the law of God neither indeed can be.

That is why it's important that we find out if we are operating in the flesh or in the Spirit.

Alas, we have much to learn.

J

juliewilton Oct 6, 2012

Thank you for this word. I have so much to learn :(

J

Jeremy221 Oct 7, 2012

Thank you for sharing. It's a very good reminder. I've found that if I get the urge to respond so that I appear right or to defend my position, then it's pride. If I do get lead to respond to something, it's been long enough that I no longer hold the emotional residue it may have had for me. There are many times I want to respond but I am forbidden and I see God speak through someone else with understanding and clarity that testifies to how He has broken their bonds asunder in that area.

I want to apologize to those I've spoken out of turn to. I'm sure that there have been times where it has been my words that have offended you rather than the conviction of the Spirit. I ask your forgiveness.