Accepting Correction

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.” 2 Timothy 4:2 NIV

Second Timothy is a letter Paul wrote to give Timothy guidance in his role and in how to go about ministry. Something God really made stick out for me while reading the letter is this verse. Through it, He reminded me that those in authority are charged with correcting and rebuking those under them.
      I am terrible with receiving those two things. Recently, I’ve been having issues with it again. I didn’t understand why, I just knew that they would make me shut down. I knew the person’s intent was only to help me get better, so my reaction to it was always confusing. It was while listening to a sermon, that I finally realized why they were so hard for me.
      I have seen both correction and rebuke abused in both my life and in that of those I love. I have been put down, made to feel like I’m not good enough or like I was unworthy. In the end, I wasn’t built up, I was torn down. It’s no wonder I have difficulty receiving and accepting these two things.
      God helped me realize that I shut myself down when I get corrected or rebuked because I am afraid. I don’t want anyone to make me feel bad about myself again. I don’t want them to hurt me by telling me I’m not good enough and by taking away my self-value. Or, other times, I knew that I would either cry or be angry in response, but I also knew that there was no reason for me to respond that way. So, I shut myself down so that I wouldn’t respond in those ways.
      It felt so good to finally understand my reaction to it, but that wasn’t enough. God really wanted me to have the right perspective on this. He showed me that correction and rebuke are good and necessary for growth. It’s how we evaluate ourselves or get help from others in doing so. 
      If I want to be after His heart, I really need to listen to the things people tell me I need to improve on and not give it a negative twist. I’ve realized that those who love you most will want you to get better. They will show you how.
      I want to be clear, though, verbal or emotional abuse is not how God wants His people to treat each other. There is a difference between correction that builds up and correction that tears down. I’m sure I will encounter people who try to do the later again, but that’s where knowing Him and what He says about me will help.
      Ideally, I will respond in a Godly way and move on. I can’t let people determine my mood. No one has the power to take away my self-value but me. I can choose to believe them or Him (Who never lies and Who knows me better than anyone else). I know what God thinks of me and that His purposes are to see me grow more like Him, share Him, and to one day be with Him. If I’m good enough for Him, then I’m good enough period.
      Don’t question your existence. You are worth a lot (worth a Savior, in fact!).
      Even if someone does offend or hurt us, we shouldn’t just shut down, put up a wall, or give up. It’s difficult but He will deal with those who warp His plan. Leave them to Him and look for anyway that you can actually learn from what they said or how they acted. If you think the things they said about you are invalid, check with a leader or mentor that you trust. See if they see any truth in it and get healthy correction and guidance. If there really wasn’t any truth to the negative correction, then at least take it as a lesson in how not to approach someone about their failings. Remember how much it hurt to be treated that way and have patience with those you are charged to correct and rebuke.
      Teamed with God, we can use everything we go through, whether negative or positive, to make us better. Granted, it’s harder with the negative things, but we really need to evaluate ourselves in those instances- why it hurt us, and what our reaction says about where we are in our walk and how spiritually mature we are. Learn, forgive, let go, grow, and keep going in your walk toward Him.