The Accuser

Psalm 38 But I am like a deaf man, I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth, I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes. But for You, O Lord, do I wait; It is You, O my Lord, who will answer. For I said, Only let them not rejoice over me, who boast against me when my foot slips!...My foes are vigorous, they are mighty, and many are those who hate me wrongfully. Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good. Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me. O Lord, my salvation.

There are times when we read verses like these and they have no real meaning to us personally. Later, when you are in a different place in your life, they read like prophecy or a prayer written just for you.

Today these verses mirror my very life.

"Misery loves company" is an old, but often true, cliche. It is another way of saying that we despise seeing someone else achieve when we feel like we are failing.

You hear stories of gang members shooting a fellow member when they try to leave a gang or a drug dealer who sets up another dealer if he attempts to stop selling drugs. We see it in small ways all the time when someone offers a candy bar to a person on a diet or a cigarette to someone who has vowed to quit. Maybe this should be expected of the world but it should not be found within the body of Christ.

Why then is it common among us as well? It seems that not only is there a part of us that expect others to fail, there is a part of us that takes pleasure in it.

Romans 8 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

And once again the Lord leads me to the very core of the issue. It is not that they are angry at you; they are angry at ME. It is just directed at you.

Genesis 4 Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard to Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Again, why? Because he was angry at God, maybe? Jealous? Feeling inadequate within himself? And maybe because we hate to see someone succeed where we feel we are failing.

Instead of dealing with our core feelings about ourselves and our God, we strike out against those who are closest to us, usually our family, and especially if they are doing better, in our minds, than we are.

So how are we to deal with people who are angry at themselves and at God and who just happen to be directing that anger at us?

Well for me, for today the answer came in the first verses....But I am like a deaf man, I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth, I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes. But for YOU, O Lord, do I wait; It is YOU, O my Lord, who will answer.....those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good. Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me! Make hast to help me. O Lord, my salvation.

Father thank you so much for REAL, PRACTICAL, day to day help. As I learn to bring my complaints or questions to You Lord remember that I am quick to anger and slow to hear and nearly deaf so speak clearly Father the way in which you have me live, react and walk this life with those around me. It's hard Lord to just be quiet and still and let You lead. It goes against the flesh but that is my reassurance that it is from You. My Spirit says AMEN.