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Why
is it so difficult to accept criticism? Because the first reaction of the flesh is to defend. The flesh will defend with emotion, with reason, and with faultfinding, but the flesh will never, never accept responsibility. The flesh is sneaky, lazy, selfish, and completely fallen. For that reason (along with many others), when we were born again, we were given the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is the desire of our Heavenly Father to raise us up as obedient and responsive children and to prepare us for heaven. The flesh wants no part of it. Why didn't the Lord just assassinate the flesh when we were saved? He did. That is what the doctrine of the :Finished Work" is. It means that positionally, our flesh is dead. That gives us the freedom of choice and the power in the Holy Spirit to live in a manner that demonstrates the Romans verse " and walk in a straight line. . ." Listen to me: Your desires are not the issue - the Word of God is the issue. Your discomfort is not the issue, the Word of God is the issue. And the One who is the Word would like to be the King of your life, but you cannot enjoy that freedom until there is a glorious, joyous, exuberant embracing of the correction and criticism that the Lord offers through the Word in the power of the Spirit. You don't have to feel great about it, but you will come to thrill to it if you will take the first step of asking the Lord to wholly have you and burn away all that is not useful and desirable to Him. I am telling you that it is possible to be healed from the seemingly unending sting of correction. Pray for it. Learn to long for it. Look for it. Thank Him for it. You will become desperate for it! |
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