Young Adults' Group

The Correction Of The Heart

by Pastor Mark
June 20, 2019

The challenge of being corrected

It is most vital that when we have a heart that is wrong and evil, it must be corrected. But receiving correction is something that is not easily done. It is never painless to discover that we are wrong in one way or another. Accepting correction is indeed a bitter pill to swallow and we tend to struggle against it. It is also not just about the correction of our actions externally. It is about the correction of the heart internally. King Solomon gave his insights concerning the importance of correction in the book of Proverbs. Let us learn to have the right response when our heart is corrected.

The problem of despising correction

Solomon gave warnings concerning all kinds of sins and immorality. There will be those who will not heed those warnings, “And say: “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised correction! I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!”” (Proverbs 5:12) We can hate the instructions given to us. In fact, our heart can end up despising the correction. The correction is rejected with disdain.

Even though it is our teachers (pastors) who give us such correction, they can be disobeyed. There are those who diligently instruct us, yet we can choose not to incline our ear to hear them and be corrected. If we decide to reject such necessary correction, there would be grave consequences.

The consequences of not accepting correction

What are some of these adverse consequences?

1. Going astray

“But he who refuses correction goes astray.” (Proverbs 10:17)

When we refuse to be corrected, we may end up going astray in life.

2. Becoming foolish

“But he who hates correction is stupid.” (Proverbs 12:1)

We tend to hate being corrected. Such a response would make us truly unwise. In fact, we would be very foolish.

3. Poverty and shame

“Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction,” (Proverbs 13:18)

In disdaining correction, we would become the poorer. We would end up in shame. Let us be warned of the severe consequences of despising correction.

The correction of the Lord

When we are corrected, we need to recognise that it is the Lord who is seeking to correct us. He is the One who chastens and we should not detest it in anyway, “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction;” (Proverbs 3:11) It is out of the Lord’s love that He seeks to correct us, “For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:12) Our heavenly Father loves us very much and seeks to chastise our heart for all the sins and wrong that dwells within. As sons, we must learn accept the correction and to humbly learn from it. Our heavenly Father is able to see the depths of our heart and loves us too much to just let us be. Let us be challenged to learn to accept the correction of God so that our heart can be cleansed and changed.

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