When You're Wrong

Last night, I finished the book A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller. And WOW. It was incredible. I have read books on prayer before... this was by FAR my favorite! Paul writes from a Biblical standpoint and incorporates his own stories and struggles to demonstrate that prayer is not rubbing God's "genie lamp." The whole concept of the book is really that prayer is not an activity we do, but it is interwoven in our lives with God. A lifestyle, if you will.

One thing that really struck me towards the end of the book was a list (pictured below) Paul had written in his prayer journal, about what God was teaching him, in regards to listening to people when they had a problem with him.

This hit me right between the eyes. How quick am I to jump to defending myself and assuming the worst about my accuser... especially when I am wrong? .......Often times, pretty quick. And I am even quicker to assume that if I bring something up to someone else, they are assuming the worst about me and gearing up to lash back.

But this list, as I read it, seemed Spirit-filled -- completely opposite of our natural reactions. Oh how I desire to respond regularly in a more godly way! I just need God's grace to persevere and be patient as I strive to grow.

What about you? As you read this list, how does your heart respond? Are you convicted about how you react? Or do you more often than not respond in the way described above? How can you grow in responding to someone when they have a problem with you? 

"Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." - James 1:19

(Photo from A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller page 254)