What Did You Learn?

I’m a firm believer that there is ALWAYS something to be learned. EVERYTHING is an opportunity to learn something. And on top of that, I believe that God is always wanting to impart the wisdom and understanding that [hopefully] we’re asking and praying for.

For example, when someone says something mean to us (regardless of whether we respond or react in that moment) we can reflect on it when we’re calm and ask the Lord to show us if any of what that person said to us was true. Learning from situations can tell us about ourselves or about the other person. God may show you that a small part of what they said IS true. You can then begin to learn more about the condition of your heart, receive healing, and grow in that area because you chose to process it with the Lord.

The flip side is that God may show you that NONE of it was true about you and in that situation you would be learning about the other person. Depending on what they said to you, they may be revealing wounds and the condition of their own heart. (Out of the heart, the mouth speaks. Matt 12:34) What you do next with that information should be based on your follow-up conversation with God. He may ask you to pray, say, or do something, but I encourage you to seek the Lord, wait for his answer, and then follow His direction and timing. I would never suggest that you take what you learned and use it against that person next time they say something mean to you. Revenge is never ours. The point of learning is for growth and if your motive isn’t to grow in your faith, identity, and relationships, then…I guess time was wasted reading this post!  (But tell me that you recognize there was learning that point too, right?!)