January 12, 2023 - Proverbs‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬, ‭15‬-‭16

“To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.” Proverbs 12:1, 15-16 NLT

Lord, thank you that you are so loving and want to see us grow and flourish. When you discipline us, it’s out of love, because you want the best for us. Help us learn to press into correction. It is through correction that we fine tune our pursuit of righteousness. When we get off the correct course we want to be directed back on course as quickly as possible. We know that our ways are not always right. We can make some stupid choices. Our choices are often influenced by our worldview and past experiences which can often lead us astray. Lord, we want to tap into your knowledge when making decisions. You are all knowing and all wise. If we allow you to lead us and help us to stay on course, we will be so much more successful. We don’t only want to be open to your guidance but other people’s advice as well. Even if we decide it was bad advice that we will not take, help us always be open to it and take it to you to evaluate. We don’t want to get so stuck in our own way that we can’t admit that there might be a better way.

Lord, where your discipline is done in the best way possible for us, others’ discipline or correction might not always be done with love or with our best interests in mind. It might even be done in a hurtful or spiteful way. If so, Lord, help us not respond in the same spirit, but remain calm and open hearted to what is being said. We ask that regardless of how it comes, we would be receptive to it. Let us learn and grow through it. Help us to not allow our pride to keep us from being receptive and seeing growth. We want to be people who receive corrections with humility and with gratitude.

In Jesus name, amen.