{"id":7211,"date":"2015-06-08T07:00:52","date_gmt":"2015-06-08T11:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/?p=7211"},"modified":"2015-11-12T12:46:08","modified_gmt":"2015-11-12T17:46:08","slug":"falsely-accused-3-ways-to-respond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2015\/06\/falsely-accused-3-ways-to-respond.html","title":{"rendered":"Falsely Accused: 3 Ways to Respond"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ID-10021187\"<\/a>Have you ever been\u00a0falsely accused and felt you had no power to deal with the situation because the accusers did not want to hear the truth? How do you respond when this happens?<\/p>\n

The natural thing is to get angry and push back. Sometimes that natural response can have serious consequences, especially if the accuser is someone in power over you.<\/p>\n

Of course, the right thing to do is to go to the person who has accused you and try to reconcile. But reconciliation takes two and the other person has to be willing to listen and take responsibility for his or her part–the accusation. In real life, this doesn’t usually happen because accusers are usually people of great insecurity who lack trust and honest conversation. Accusations fly when someone feels threatened and doesn’t have the conflict skills to go to the person and check things out before coming to a conclusion.<\/p>\n

The psalmist, David, speaks to this in Psalms\u00a03, 4 & 5.\u00a0 He begins by stating that there are many who rise up against him. But his response is to remember that the Lord is a shield for him. The Lord\u00a0hears David’s cries for help and listens. First response: Cry out to the Lord. He hears you in your distress. You are not alone and He is aware of what is happening. The Lord will hear when I call on Him -Psalm\u00a04:3<\/em><\/p>\n

Second response: “Be angry and do not sin” is the directive. Anger is acknowledged as a real emotion that rises up when we are falsely accused, but the challenge is to feel that anger and not sin in response to it. This often takes great control only possible through the Holy Spirit in you. In the morning I will direct it to you-Psalm 5:3<\/em><\/p>\n

Third response: Meditate, be still and put your trust in God.\u00a0Sit quietly before the Lord and allow Him to direct your thoughts and actions. Ask for wisdom in terms of what to do.\u00a0Meditate with your heart on your bed and be still–Psalm4:4<\/em><\/p>\n

God assures us that if our attitude is right, He will protect us if we put our trust in Him. He is our security! And in Psalm 5, David remind us that he will destroy those who speak falsehoods (verse 6). In our culture of accusation, offense and falsehoods, remember the right response of faith. Your shield, protector is not man, but God.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you ever been\u00a0falsely accused and felt you had no power to deal with the situation because the accusers did not want to hear the truth? How do you respond when this happens? The natural thing is to get angry and push back. 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