In spite of our feeble attempt to wake up early so we could be on time, we were late and rushing. Everything seemed to go wrong. The kids were moving slow, my wife was frustrated and I was snapping at everyone to move faster. So we could be on time for choir practice at Church.

We pulled into the parking lot, dropped the kids off at Sunday school with all smiles, and then rushed to the choir room. Then we quickly walked past the pastor and made our way to our spots on the bleachers. Then we stood there.

My thoughts were racing. Frustrated at everything that had just transpired. The amount of effort it took to get there just felt overwhelming and I hated it. So I stood there and my thoughts were a million miles a way.

Then the pastor stopped talking and he began walking up the steps of the bleachers right towards me.

I thought, Oh great, I’ve brought attention to myself because I didn’t control my facial expressions and now I’m gonna hear about it. But that’s not what happened. He made his way towards me through the other people standing in their positions and then simply hugged me without saying a word.

He just hugged me and I melted. I just began to weep. Just the uncontrollable, not intended, totally embarrassing type of crying that no one ever likes to do in front of other people and yet, there I was, balling like a child in front of the entire church choir.

Then he looked at me, grabbed each of my arms and said, “You are a GOOD man.” And then he just turned around, went back up front and began leading the choir again. That was it, and yet the burden, the massive weight that I was carrying when I walked in that day just disappeared.

NOTHING about my behavior that day was characteristic of a “good man.” And nothing in my thoughts were anything close to being what is considered “good.” But regardless of that God knew what I needed. He knew what kind of man I was even though my thoughts and actions at the time – did not show it. So what I thought was going to be Condemnation, was actually Conviction. And with that I could recognize my poor behavior and correct it.

How many times have you been in a situation or had something happen where you are frustrated, angry, or done something stupid and then have looked back on it later and felt like you could have done something differently? 

Sometimes life throws us curve balls. Things don’t always go the way we have planned. And people often find themselves in circumstances or situations that are no longer in their control. So they act out in a way they think is best for them at the time. Later, things don’t look so good. Some behaviors don’t go over well and can be pretty hard to overcome.

Everyone makes mistakes. But not all mistakes are easily forgotten, much less forgiven.

And for most people, they are much harder on themselves than other people would ever imagine being. Which is why sometimes the voice in our head, and our internal dialog, can really be a dangerous thing when its not being truthful.

I mean, you wouldn’t really want to hang out with someone who always threw your past failings in your face every time they came around, right? And yet sometimes, it can be like that in our minds. We will literally repeat scenarios over and over, rehashing old events, or past failures. Allowing the Demons in our head to beat us down and keep us down.

It’s a lie. It’s a Satanic lie.

The thoughts in your head that tell you you aren’t good enough or that you’re worthless, are not true. You’re worth isn’t contingent on your station in life or your ability to produce at a certain level. From the moment you were born you were given a divine purpose and reason for being. You were born into this world in Triumph. That doesn’t change simply because of the circumstance or situation you are in.

Your attitude and behavior may indeed be out of line and in need of a change. But the voice in your head or person in front of you who is attempting to use those things to condemn you is flat out wrong. And you can always tell when your thoughts are being influenced by demonic forces or if the person talking to you is coming from a place of evil by it coming from a place of condemnation.

Satan wants to use your poor behaviors, conditions and past failings to condemn you. His entire standard operating procedure is to condemn you so that he can isolate, separate, and destroy you. And that is pretty typical of an abuser, right? They lie to you to get you alone so they can separate you from your friends and family. They don’t want you connected to a support system. So once they get you alone they can harm you.

DON’T allow that to happen! 

People that care about you and your well being will come to you from a place of caring and love. When you have things in your life that need changed or corrected, God doesn’t throw your past in your face. God isn’t bringing up your poor behavior or conditions to condemn you. When you are being confronted about something in your life that needs addressed by God it’s done in a way that convicts you. You’ll feel conviction in your Spirit. Almost like that Jiminy Cricket character is sitting on your shoulder being your conscience, telling you, hey you need to do this better. You need to change this. THAT is the Voice you should be listening to. (Philippians 4:6-7)

And if you are approached by someone who has an issue with something you have said or done, consider how you are being approached. Because people who actually want problems solved or behaviors changed aren’t about condemning for the sake of condemning.

One of the questions I always ask people if they approach me with something that seems a bit off is, “Did the Holy Spirit send you to tell me this?” When I ask that question, it will often stop them in their tracks, if He didn’t. And if He did send that person to talk to me, I’ve never had to ask that question. Cause I can feel His presence when the message is being delivered and I feel conviction to change.

Make sense?

I don’t know what circumstances or situations you have going on in your life. But do not allow some Satanic vermin to beat you down with its lies about who you are as a person or what you are worth.

If it’s not coming from God or a place of love, then you should REJECT it. Dismiss that negative lying thought from your mind! Totally ignore the evil, vindictive, lying, spiteful, ignorance, being spewed at you by the demon incarnate standing in front of you! DO NOT allow that to take a foothold in your mind. When God speaks, He speaks with a Voice of Truth. He ONLY speaks truth. And that is the ONLY voice you should be listening to! 

Remember, Satan wants you to feel isolated from your friends and family. Like whatever you have said or done is so bad and unforgiveable. He’s an abuser. He wants to separate you from your support so that he can abuse and destroy you. He’ll use drugs, alcohol, sex, anything and everything to accomplish that. Don’t allow him to do it.

REGARDLESS of the circumstance, situation, or your behaviors, there IS grace, mercy, redemption and salvation. Those things are not just words. They are real and they are available to you.

Believe that. Think on that and embrace it.

Copyright©2026 Jacob C. Larson All Rights Reserved

Read more here: Anxious for Nothing

***People do not reach a place of conviction in their life without the work of the Holy Spirit. It simply does not happen. And I don’t believe people actually make any real changes to themselves or their behavior without some sincere reflection and conviction. So you can always tell what type of Spirit you are dealing with by that measure. If the thoughts in your head are of shame, guilt, failings, etc. beating you down, you can guarantee they are being influenced by a demonic spirit that is lying to you. People that approach you with the same level of condemnation are under demonic influence as well. Don’t listen to people like that. Satan condemns, Christ convicts. For it is written in the Bible, Christ came not to condemn the world, but to save it (John 3:17). 

****Listening to the voice of Truth, does not mean that feeling convicted is going to be a pleasant experience. Nine times out of ten it most definitely is not. Sometimes being convicted means things are delivered in a way that doesn’t allow you to simply ignore or dismiss. Which means you may be in for a tough time. But make no mistake, the goal is to redeem and save you. So embrace it and don’t fear it. (Philippians 4:8)

*****Just in case anyone is wondering,

Yes, I did actually put this into ChatGPT so that it could clean it up and have it read gooder. But ChatGPT and I didn’t see eye to eye on some things. Such as the immediate removal of the words: Satan, Satanic, Demonic influence, or any mention of the Holy Spirit. So, what you have read is the original version, 100% written by me. Sorry it’s not grammaticalar correct and doesn’t read gooder. I’m sincerely doin my best with the limited schooling and brain activity that I have. I hope it’s enough for you to get something positive out of it.