Receiving Correction

by Joyce Meyer - posted April 09, 2011

But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.
—2 Timothy 3:1-2
Ask yourself how you react to correction or criticism. Try to be honest in your evaluation. Confident people who have validated themselves as valuable can receive correction without anger or a defensive attitude. God says only a fool hates correction (see Proverbs 15:5). Why is that? Because he should be wise enough to want to learn everything he can about himself.
Confident people can listen objectively to another point of view. They can pray about what is said and either receive or reject it according to what God places in their hearts.
It is absolutely wonderful to be able to approve of ourselves, because we believe God approves of us, even though others do not. It is good to be humble enough to receive correction, yet confident enough not to let the opinions of others control us. 

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer.