Requirements For A Teachable Spirit

“Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.” Job 6:24

From just this one short verse, we can find the requirements for a teachable spirit:

1. RELINQUISH PRIDE – This must be done before one can speak the verse from the heart

2. REQUEST COUNSEL – “Teach me”

3. REFRAIN FROM SPEAKING WHILE BEING TAUGHT – “and I will hold my tongue”

4. REALIZE WE REALLY DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING – “and cause me to understand”

5. REPENT OF ANY WRONGDOING – “wherein I have erred”

None of us have “arrived” in our spiritual walk. Knowing this, a good question for each of us to ask ourselves may be, “When was the last time the Lord taught me something?” Or, “What is God teaching me right now?” If we struggle to think of some lessons the Lord has taught us recently or is currently showing us, we may need to then ask ourselves, “Have I allowed pride to creep in and thus plateaued in my Christian walk?”

In reference to spiritual growth, our pastor has often said something like, “Light received, Light revealed – Light rejected, Light removed” When God gives us Light from His Word, we can CHOOSE to embrace it or REFUSE to embrace it. Choosing to embrace the Light God has shed on a certain truth He desires to teach us will result in more Light given. But refusing to embrace the Light on that truth is refusing to grow.

If we feel we have come to a standstill in our walk with the Lord, we need to stop and think back – “Was there something that God revealed to me concerning my own life, but I refused to embrace it?” If God brings something to our mind (and He will, if we sincerely desire to know), we must –

*choose to humble ourselves

*choose to ask God to teach us

*choose to stop arguing with God or making excuses

*choose to admit we haven’t “arrived”

*choose to repent of whatever God shows us

The result of having this attitude of a teachable spirit will be:

6. RECEIVE WISDOM!

(And WHY wouldn’t any of us want wisdom?)

“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” Proverbs 4:5-7