To not refuse counsel …

I was incredibly blessed (and helped!) by all of the people who took time out of their busy schedules last week to help me with my dvd project. (Thanks again, all!)

But I’ve been reflecting for the last few days on how it was HARD to receive the … well … constructive criticism.

Even from friends!
Dear, wonderful, giving, wise, loving FRIENDS who I HAD APPROACHED and ASKED for their counsel.

(!!)

Isn’t that just crazy?

(OR … isn’t that just a great example of our depraved hearts and how desperate we are for Christ?)

Anyway … thankfully … God graciously gave me a teachable heart and I SLOWED DOWN and listened to the feedback.

(As an aside–isn’t it true that it’s almost always hard to receive criticism or a rebuke? Isn’t it hard to have our weaknesses pointed out or our mistakes brought to our attention? AND … isn’t is ESPECIALLY hard when we are pushing a tight deadline, tired, working our hardest but still overwhelmed?)

So there I was … wanting to get this project done. Wanting to make my deadline.
But ALSO? Wanting to do the best job I could.

And so I listened.
By God’s grace I listened.

(Even to the one friend who–I FELT–was questioning my THEOLOGY! Eeeeeesh! Talk about hitting a soft spot for me. You can criticize lots of things in my life … but MAN! I hope that I am not promoting Man-centered, felt-needs, psychobabbble, heretical theology. EEEEEEEEEEEEESH!)

I slowed down and prayed and looked carefuly at the feedback.
And guess what?
OF COURSE THEY WERE RIGHT.

And their changes helped to improve things. A LOT.

How grateful I am for God’s grace at work in my oft-foolish, oft-overly-sensitive, oft-lacking in humility heart.
How grateful I am for this moment of teachableness. A true evidence of grace.

Thanks again, friends, for all of your help (AND COUNSEL! 🙂 )
And thank You, Lord, for not leaving me in my foolishness, sinfulness, and unbelief.

I pray for you a wonderful Monday!
Living secure in our Wonderful God.

Yours,
Tara B.