Let me start by saying, “Ouch!” on this one! Okay…now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, we can proceed. As you can see, I’ll be talking about the growing pain of correction. You’ll discover why I call it the growing pain in just a few moments. But without further delay, let’s begin our written chat on “How to Take Correction Better.”

No doubt, this is a tough one. Wouldn’t you agree? I mean, who loves to be corrected? Most of us like to be correct, not corrected. However, the reality is that we will make mistakes along the way, and sometimes when we make those mistakes, they happen to be seen by others. Bummer! I know. But that just reminds us that we’re not perfect beings, and that we need a little help along the way. Amen!

Okay, moving along. Have you ever been corrected by someone? If so, how did it feel? Think about it. I would be sure to say, that it didn’t feel too good, right? I’ve been there. Personally, I’ve been corrected on what not to say, wear, do, act, etc. And either way it’s been presented, it wasn’t pleasurable to my flesh. However, over time and due to the Word of God and good Bible teachers, I’ve learned that it was good for me. Actually, a Bible verse that really helped me was Proverbs 12:1 which says, “To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.” (NLT) Yeah, that was pretty real for me.

But listen, sis. Correction and godly discipline is actually good for both of us. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 12:6, “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children.” This verse can definitely be better understood by those of us who have children. We know that if we see our children going in the wrong direction, we will quite naturally try to correct them. And sometimes whatever they did may warrant a good talking to, punishment, or even spanking if need be. And it’s all done out of love (at least that’s the way it should be done).

My point here is that, that’s how God is with His children. He’s a good Parent. In Hebrews 12:11 and 13, He says, “My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when he corrects you….as you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all.” (NLT)

Ouch! I know. But this is love from our Father. With that being said, let me pause for a moment here to ask you a few questions. Before reading this post, how have you handled correction in the past? How do you initially respond to it? Do you get angry, sad, quiet, disgusted, have outbursts of anger, or lash out at the person? Or do you cry, run away, or go into a depressed state where no one can reach you? Or how about this one…do you thank God for it, while acknowledging your error?

I can almost hear it, “What?! Thank God?” I know that might seem like an oxymoron, right? But my answer would be, “Yes, thank God.” The reason why is because God says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Believe it or not, I would venture to say that most times the person doing the correcting is really trying to help you. And here is where the growing pains happen that I talked about in the beginning.

Listen sis, I know correction is not easy. Whether it’s coming from a boss, spouse, leadership, parent, friend, me, or God, taking correction is hard. Yet, when you really think about it and work through the whole thing, while renewing your  mind with God’s Word, you’ll discover that it really is working out for your good (see Romans 8:28). It’s all a part of His purpose for your life. Even if the person who is correcting you (other than God) is totally wrong; especially if they are your authority…take it anyway and surrender it to God. Father knows best.

So the next time you’re corrected, take it. Remember, what the Bible says, “…it is stupid to hate correction.” Receive it sis, and grow.

Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!

~Courtnaye

QUESTION: Have you recently gone through a situation when you were corrected. How did you handle it or how are you handling it now? Want to talk about it and need prayer to get through it better. If so, email me directly and I will join you in prayer about it here @ insideoutwithcourtnaye@gmail.com. Talk to you soon!

***Don’t forget to grab my NEW book, “IDENTIFIED: Knowing Who You Are in Christ & Moving Forward in Your Purpose” on www.amazon.com TODAY!

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