Scripture Reading: Exodus 5:1-7, 1 Corinthians 13:11
Have you ever been told that you are too stubborn for your own good?
For us to grow as a person, an open mind and perseverance is required. Truly, these two characteristics are definitely something that makes us special. However, both of these characteristics have a cousin that we must be able to recognize and need to talk about – stubbornness. How do we know when our perseverance and conviction has turned into stubbornness?
Stubbornness: dogged determination not to change one’s attitude or position on something.
Is it possible that our stubbornness can affect our faith? Affirmatively, it does, hence, we should not become too stubborn for our own good.
Many of us would say that there is nothing too bad about being stubborn because, after all, we are stubborn and we are not bad people! Let’s evaluate the stubborn characteristics for a moment.
We would say that our society suffers a lot today because people are being stubborn in their ways. The one thing that society shows us is that the stubbornness of a vocal minority can hold back and stunt the growth of a majority.
Some would say that stubborn people are simply being closed-minded. Being closed-minded: to be unwilling to consider different ideas or opinions.
So, in our society, in order for there to be growth, the collective society must be made up of many open-minded individuals. If we shrink the scale down from a society, to just an individual person, we would say that in order for that person to grow, they cannot be closed-minded. Being stubborn, in essence, prevents an individual from thinking differently and accepting new ideas. Therefore, being stubborn has stunted that person’s growth.
There is a failure in life when you cannot be open-minded.
In life, change is often required of us because life itself is always changing day to day. If we refuse to recognize these changes, we end up getting left behind in past times while the world moves forward. If enough people get stuck in a mindset of the past, you get what we see going on in our society today.
Change can certainly be scary, but oftentimes, change is good. As we grow older, we mature and we make changes.
Apostle Paul said that he learned how to reason when he became a man as recorded in 1 Corinthians 13:11.
A closed-minded person will never hear the voice of God. To hear the Lord’s voice you have to be perceptive.
Therefore, we have to learn how to be open to all things. You have probably heard it said before that believers of God are a closed-minded people. This is disagreeable in all ramifications. If you are genuine in the faith, you have learned or will learn not to be too stubborn for your own good. God cannot guide you if you are too busy kicking against the goads.
May God drives away our stubbornly behaviour, through Christ our Lord
Memory Verse:
1 Corinthians 13:11
“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
Baba Aladura, Elder Israel Akinadewo – FCA, PhD
Prelate, Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW)/President, Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC)