Shrugging off the 'Circus'

At one time, I had attitudes and actions that needed correction. God found a way to change me through some experiences and people; it really went against the grain. Correction has a way of 'going against the grain'. It abrades away the wrongs as long as you stay 'tender' to God.

I saw I was letting things eat me up on the inside. I griped about people. I became a complainer. But...I grew. I changed. I found freedom.

Something started to bother me though. I found that the advice I was given was not something the person had embraced in their own life.

Some would say there is a 'hypocrisy' or a 'duplicity' involved. Admittedly, I thought that at first. I mean...how can it be right for someone to give you advice when they themselves don't do what they say? 

The human mind and heart, what chaos lives within.  Part of my growth is to see it for what it is...not my circus, not my monkeys. We can all grow as long as we stay tender to God and the situations he puts in our paths.

Sometimes we only listen to the people who affirm what we want to hear about ourselves; that we are good, giving, nice, etc. Maybe sometimes we should listen to those who tell us we are falling short, instead of patting us on the back when we do wrong. It could be a growth experience.