Judgment's Two Faces

I've been asking God to remove my judgmental nature for eight months. I judge constantly - people's recovery, their choices, their parenting. It's exhausting and isolating. But yesterday at my meeting someone shared about handling a difficult situation and I found myself thinking: That shows real wisdom. I wasn't judging them critically. I was recognizing quality.

For example judgment is a negative trait when used to wound and criticize but judgment is positive when it allows us to recognize quality and distinguish good work from mediocre. The same capacity - judgment - used two completely different ways. When I use judgment to wound and criticize I'm weaponizing a neutral ability. When I use it to recognize quality and distinguish good from mediocre I'm using that same capacity for its intended purpose.

God isn't removing my ability to discern. God is removing the wounding criticism while refining my ability to recognize truth and quality. The capacity itself isn't the problem. It's how I'm using it. Used to wound it destroys relationships. Used to recognize quality it builds wisdom. Step Seven is teaching me that character defects are often good capacities twisted by fear or misdirected by pain. God's removal means untwisting them and redirecting them toward their intended purpose instead of obliterating the capacity entirely.

When I catch myself being judgmental, I can pause and ask: Am I using this to wound or to recognize quality? If wounding, I can stop and redirect. If recognizing quality, I can acknowledge that's the positive use of the same capacity. God, help me use judgment to build not destroy.