Correction and Pride

     We as a world culture we hate being corrected, we hate being told that we are wrong, our choices are bad, or that there are consequences for them. People often take correction as an attack, even when what you have said was something they needed to hear and meant in a loving way. I am seeing this more often lately, especially on the posts of another who is very bold in their speech, but I know everything they say is said in love. People are calling them judgmental, holier than thou, a Pharisee, a legalist, and even a hypocrite.  But I have never once seen that in their post. What I see is a deep passionate love for our Father, and His children, a heart that is broken for the world and a person who is allowing that broken heart to try to shake awake those who aren't vigilant about guarding their souls.       
       I do understand why people get so angry though, because I know I struggle with taking correction as a blessing instead of an attack some times too. It can be hurtful to face yourself and your actions and realize that you are in the wrong, that what you said or did was not right. Especially when pride is involved, because pride won't allow you to admit that you're wrong, instead it convinces you that you are in the right, and stirs anger or wrath toward the person involved. With pride you feel like you immediately have to defend yourself, that you must react to prove your point, to be in the right. But this reaction solves nothing, usually it causes more hurt and if it involves family, or friends it can create distance between them.
      Pride is called a deadly sin and its easy to see why. It takes so many shapes and forms within ourselves that it is often hard to recognize. What I am learning to do to help deal with this and distinguish between when it's just my pride getting in my way or when I am actually the one who is in the right, is really the same as how I am learning to deal with all problems. I take it to God in prayer. As soon as I catch myself (which honestly I don't always) feel the need to start defending myself,  to start challenging the person who upset me with their correction, I pray "Father if they are right, then remove the pride from my heart and humble me to their correction, but if I am in the right than give me the love and the words I need to correct them." Without fail when I do this I usually find out it was my pride that was the problem, and God does humble my heart to receive the correction and usually to apologize if I stepped out of line before I prayed.
       Correction is not always an easy thing to deal with, usually we don't want to hear it. But truthfully, accepting the correction will provide healing. Healing in the relationship and in your soul as you humble yourself and draw nearer to God by doing so.

Proverbs 15:32        
Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

Proverbs 16:18        
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Hebrews 12:11        
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

1 Peter 5:5        
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”