Child-like heart

When we read God's word everyday, the Lord speaks to us directly many a time. Sometimes it is word a of encouragement, hope, faith, comfort, empathy, and sometimes it is words of correction, discipline and learning. When we are confronted by words of correction, discipline and change, the Spirit of God gently convicts us of our shortcoming and prompts within us a need for repentance or willingness to yield. It is at those times, our minds play the trick by justifying what we do as right.

Our mind is a powerful entity which the Lord has created us with. And the Lord has given the mind its power in forms of intellect, wisdom, knowledge, discernment and discretion. When we are convicted by the Lord through His Word and Spirit, our mind may not be ready to immediately accept it. Our mind uses all its power to justify our thoughts, actions, behaviors, motives and attitude. The reason for the mind to work this way is...

The heart is deceitful above all things

and beyond cure.

Who can understand it? - Jeremiah 17:9 (New International Version)

It is easy for our heart to accept words of encouragement, hope, faith, comfort and consolation. But it is difficult for the heart to accept correction, discipline, change and transformation.

That is why the Lord emphasized,

Matthew 18:3 (The Message)

2-5. For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom...

We need to have a child-like heart to accept words of correction, discipline and change. Younger children do not justify for their wrongs. They are simple and straight forward. They accept and learn more readily than adults.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me a heart like that of a child. So that I accept every word that you tell me whether of correction or encouragement in the same manner. I am willing to go back to square one. In Jesus name. Amen.