Learning to Embrace Correction

Writers have to be ready for inevitable criticism and edits.

Whether writing for school, work, publication, a personal blog, or social media, writers like me offer our words up for critique. There are teachers and editors who look over our work for ways to improve it, readers who share their opinions (both kind and unkind), and apps that make colorful lines appear under our words to show us where we went wrong.

I love the people who edit my work, and I am thankful for each one of them and their thorough feedback. But edits always bother my perfectionist tendencies. I’m reminded that despite spending hours re-reading a piece, searching for typos, and rearranging paragraphs, they will point out numerous more problems I missed. 

I cannot write a perfect piece—whether it be an essay, an article, or a story. In my prideful heart, I want to be perfect. I want people to praise me for my excellent writing that needs no editing whatsoever. That’s my silly, unattainable dream as a writer. I know my editors are seeking to help me grow and make my piece the best it can be, but it’s hard to not bristle at all the red marks. 

Similarly, I often bristle at corrections from fellow believers who point out point out my faults, failures, or sins. My natural tendency (and probably yours too) is to be defensive. However, this doesn’t need to be our only reaction. God’s Word shows us another way.

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