Well, today the Lord dropped something on my heart to share. These types of things sometimes can be scary to share simply because most people don’t look at it this way when they are the ones “in” the situation.

Why is it that we are going through life all happy go lucky until… the moment comes that we have to be corrected. Yes you heard that right! Correction is the fastest way for you loose your mind in .5 seconds. We all equate correction or someone pointing out your lack of ability for a certain task, criticism, etc… as you being inadequate or incapable and many times as someone basically calling you STUPID, is how the devil makes it immediately appear.

The issue is that correction is actually good for you! It can even be used as a tool for God to remove certain “flesh” issues that maybe you haven’t dealt with before. It can be a cutting away of yourself so that God can do so much more through you.

Proverbs 15:31-32 TPT

31 Accepting constructive criticism opens your heart to the path of life, making you right at home among the wise.
32 Refusing constructive criticism shows you have no interest in improving your life, for revelation-insight only comes as you accept correction and the wisdom that it brings.

This type of correction/criticism can come from a parent, a boss, a Pastor, a teacher, a co-worker, the list can go on and on. But its funny that we are ok with giving “advice/correction/criticism”, its just something quickly happens when we have to receive it. Why is it that the script changes so quickly when we have to look in the mirror and realize our own faults, weaknesses, or failures?

Proverbs 15:10-11 TPT

10 Severe punishment awaits the one who turns away from the truth, and those who rebel against correction will die.
11 Even hell itself holds no secrets from the Lord God, for before his eyes, all is exposed—and so much more the heart of every human being.

See God knows the deepest depths of our hearts. There is nothing hidden or unknown from Him. He knows the areas you are strong in, but guess what He also knows the areas you need a lot of work in. But many times we are too prideful to receive this type of criticism from man or from God. Which in turn tells us that we all still have some things to work on… But the bad part about this kind of reaction is many times we are teaching this to our children. Many children today can not be told “no you didn’t make the team” or “no your not good enough for that part”. Then, as parents we don’t normally say hey that’s ok lets work on it so you can knock it out of the park next time… No normally we take the immature route and immediately look at it as fault of the teacher/coach/Pastor, etc. The cycle has to break somewhere or the entitlement of people will only get worse and worse.

Galatians 2:20 NLT
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We have to get back to the place as believers in Jesus, that in the way we respond to people and situations whether right, wrong, or indifferent; is a representation of Him! How are you representing Christ when the “old you” is being stripped away? How are you representing Christ when your child didn’t make the cut? How are you representing Christ when your faults get highlighted? How are you representing Christ even when maybe it wasn’t your fault or you were misrepresented?

These are hard questions to answer! But either you believe that your own will and old way of doing things was dead the moment you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior or you don’t… So, today me included… we need to take inventory of how we are going to be more humble and actually take a moment to do a self inventory when correction is given. Don’t always jump to self defense but realize that clearly something happened that caused this situation to arise, so what could be done better next time?

How can we be better parents? How can we be better employees/bosses? How can we be better students/teachers? How can we be better church members/leaders? How can we be better examples of Christ in our day to day life?

This my friends is how we live a life ‘Not Moved’ by every little wind that blows our direction! We ‘Stand Firm’ in our faith and don’t waiver on account of not appearing “perfect” in the eyes of everyone else. We are strong enough IN HIM to weather the storms and accusations that come our way!

-With Love, Not Moved