Proverbs 16:13 (The Message Bible).
13Good leaders cultivate honest speech;
they love advisers who tell them the truth.
As many of you did, in my younger years I relished the fact I had people around me, which to them; I could never do any wrong. I have never been short of friends who would pat me on the back and sing "man's praise" over whatever I had going on.
However, I am older now and wiser. I can see where that environment was detrimental to me during many of my developmental years. I can see how the enemy used the back pats and words of praise to develop an addiction in my life – an addiction to people.
Thank God I am healed now, and I have come to understand the benefit and the blessing of having those close to me who will always tell me the truth. Now it is true, the truth can hurt sometimes. It is also true that at times I do not want to hear the truth, because it means I have failed in some area or some task I was trying to achieve. Not to mention° I am a bit sensitive, so I struggle not with what is said, but how it is said.
Nevertheless, being able to hear and make adjustments according to the truth is key to transformation and elevation in God. I am convinced that as much as we would like to make the right decisions or organize the perfect plan every time°we do not. And before we know it, as Paul said in Romans 7:15 "but what I hate, that do I." Sometimes, the very thing we purpose in our hearts not to do...we end up doing.
Thank God for the advisors in my life who tell me the truth - about me. For those who risk hurting my feelings, for those who care enough to wave the red flag, for those who only have my best at heart, I am grateful.
I challenge each of you today, to check out your inner circle, be sure you have truthful advisors in your life. Be sure you give them the permission to hold you accountable and be sure you purpose yourself to act on the truth once you hear it. Make adjustments, end, begin, turn, be quiet, speak up, apologize, and forgive° whatever it means in your situation. When you do, (and this is one thing I love about God the most) God seems to stop Time!!!! He seems so see that we have set our heart to making a change in the right direction, and He seems to call the full force of heaven and its angelic hosts to attention and sets them to work on our behalf;
GLORY TO GOD!
