How can recognizing our stubbornness help us grow spiritually according to Isaiah 46:12? Hearing the Divine Appeal Isaiah 46:12 — “Listen to Me, you stubborn people, far from righteousness.” Facing Our Stubbornness • God calls the audience “stubborn,” not to shame but to awaken. • Stubbornness = a heart set in its own way, resistant to correction (Proverbs 29:1). • By admitting this trait, we stop defending it and start letting God reshape it (Psalm 139:23-24). Why Stubbornness Blocks Righteousness • Closes the ears: resistance to God’s voice keeps truth at arm’s length (Hebrews 3:7-8). • Hardens the heart: pride locks us out of the grace that makes us right with God (James 4:6). • Fuels self-reliance: we lean on our own understanding instead of His wisdom (Proverbs 3:5-6). Turning Stubbornness into Spiritual Growth 1. Acknowledge it: name the attitude when the Spirit convicts. 2. Listen intentionally: set aside time to absorb Scripture without arguing back (Luke 10:39). 3. Surrender the will: pray, “Your will be done,” whenever self-will rises (Matthew 26:39). 4. Act promptly: obey the next clear step God shows; delay strengthens stubborn habits (Psalm 119:60). 5. Stay accountable: invite trusted believers to speak truth when blind spots appear (Galatians 6:1-2). Encouragement from Related Passages • Psalm 32:8-9 — “I will instruct you… do not be like the horse or mule without understanding.” • Proverbs 28:14 — “Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.” • Isaiah 57:15 — God revives “the spirit of the lowly” and “the heart of the contrite.” Living It Out Today • Begin each day by asking, “Lord, where am I resisting You?” • Replace reflexive “no” with intentional “yes” to Scripture’s directives. • Celebrate each moment of yieldedness; it signals movement from “far from righteousness” toward the life Christ secured (2 Corinthians 5:21). |
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