Breaking the Cycle: How Humility and Awareness Lead to Healing: Daily Proverb

The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray. Proverbs 10:8,17 NLT

The truth is, no one — myself included — is perfect! We all have blind spots in our lives, areas where we navigate in unhealthy ways but remain unaware of it. Most people’s unhealthy choices aren’t rooted in a desire to do wrong but in ignorance. We often react based on subconscious responses to past pain, convincing ourselves that we’re just protecting our lives from further harm. Many of these survival tactics stem from trauma, whether big or small, that we experienced earlier in life. When our brains sense something that feels familiar, they switch into survival mode, leading us to react in ways we don’t even notice. If we’re not open to receiving feedback from trusted sources, we become defensive, deflect, and end up stuck in a cycle of unhealth that keeps repeating itself.

I’ve often heard that intelligence is measured by how much truth you can handle. So, let me ask you: Can you be wrong sometimes? Can you look at a situation objectively? Can you learn from your failures productively? Can you go beyond your preferences and hear the truth even when it stings? Are you willing to ask yourself the tough questions that lead to growth?

Here are a few questions that I try to wrestle with:

• What’s it like to be on the other side of me?
  How would I feel if I were my spouse, child, staff member, or friend? Would I want to be treated the way I am treating them?

• Who am I refusing to listen to?
  Is there someone speaking into my life that I am ignoring because I’ve already made up my mind, or because it challenges my preferences?

• What person or situation am I unwilling to see from another perspective?
  This is the antidote to bitterness. Even if someone is completely wrong in how they treated me, can I still understand why they reacted that way? Most of the time, it’s less personal than we think because people respond out of their pain and survival instincts. Hurt people tend to hurt people.

And then ask yourself: What am I missing? Is there a recurring problem that keeps replaying in my life? Although the people and details might change, the underlying issue remains the same. Maybe my response is contributing to the growing tension.

To reach a place of health and growth, you must have a humble heart that is open to feedback — from the Holy Spirit’s conviction, trusted voices, and yourself. Humility is simply awareness. Are you aware?