Written By: Emily Benedetto | CS Maui Coordinator
Photo By: Ivy Scott

Humans are stubborn. And I think that the older we get or the more experience we have, the more “set in our ways” we become! I’ve been a surf coach for a couple of years now, and among the groms that I coach, some of them are so open-minded and soak in all of my advice, and some of them think they are just the best and don’t need any extra help. 

Any guesses on which group improved the most throughout the season?? Yup, the ones who took the time to listen, apply corrections, and ask questions daily. 

How do you approach your walk with the Lord? Do you keep an open mind to hear His voice, ask questions, and reflect on your walk? Or are you like some of my groms that think they don’t need extra help, take control, and do what they think is best? You might not even realize that you are being stubborn with the Lord until you are tested with a season of trials. 

Isaiah 64:8
“But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” 

God wants to mold and shape our lives to reflect Him, but what happens when we think we know better and resist him “molding” us? I was pondering this years ago, and felt God telling me that when we remain soft and humble in Him, He is able to mold and shape us easily. The moment we become hard-hearted and stubborn, just like dried-out clay, He has to break us in order to mold us! We see this confirmed in Proverbs 16:18. 

Proverbs 16:18
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” 

How often do we think we know everything, like the groms on my surf team, and then quickly get humbled or go through a hard time in order to learn a lesson? Society calls that “learning the hard way,” and sometimes you may even laugh at yourself, realizing that you could’ve done things differently and listened to advice from the Lord or spiritual mentors. 

I watched one of the groms on our team go from surfing on a foam board, barely able to catch a wave. But because he heeded our advice and committed to growing, he improved so much and by the end of the season, he was going down the line on a short board! 

Take a moment today to pray about this subject. Are you truly allowing God to penetrate into your heart and grow you in new ways? Or maybe, you will find that you could be a little more humble in your walk with the Lord by embracing a spirit of willingness to listen, a humbleness to grow, and to have a heart that God is able to mold without breaking the dried clay. You may be surprised at what God creates in you and how much more you are able to grow in your faith!