The Problems Of Inflexibility

1. People who are inflexible remain firm in their opinions to a point of being stubborn, unyielding and adamant about their own viewpoint. The biggest problem with spiritual inflexibility is that one risks missing out on all the vital truths God wants us to learn. The inflexible Sanhedrin commanded Peter and John not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. The hardhearted Pharisees refused to admit that their knowledge of God was less than perfect and remained unteachable to their own destruction. Ask the Lord to help you to never cease learning more of Christ, His word and Godâs will for your daily life.

2. Inflexible people are implacable in the sense that they are impossible to pacify. The Pharisees were so obdurate in their views of what the Messiah should be that they missed out on the greatest opportunity of all time. Do not miss out on any chance to let the Spirit of God breath fresh insights into your mind, will and emotions. Ask the Lord to help you remain humble, contrite and teachable in every situation and with every person.

3. Inflexible people tend to become calloused to the good things that God wants to bring into their lives. When people stubborn hold to their own views they lack the sensitivity to discern the needs in others. The Pharisees were so wrapped up in maintaining their traditions, control and standing in the community that they could not recognize truth when it was in front of their faces in the person of Christ. Ask the Lord to help you to not build up thick barriers of resistance to the lessons that God wants to teach you through people, circumstances and personal adversity.

4. Inflexible people resist change that is essential for growth, maturity and progress. Is it little wonder that Christ and the apostles had to admonish many about the truth? Peter and the apostle knew that their audiences were especially hesitant to receive truth from the "uneducated and untrained men". You can learn from anybody. Do not cheat yourself out of valuable lessons from people who may be poor but rich in faith and wisdom.

5. Inflexible people remain captive to their sins, their past and to their misconceptions. Refuse to allow yourself to be a slave to wrong opinions, bad attitudes or stubborn cynicism. Paul wrote of people like this when he said, "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are the oneâs slaves whom you obey." (Rom. 6:16) Ask the Lord to help you be continually freed by learning and growing in truth.

6. Inflexible people tend to have their mind, will and emotions weakened and dull to truth and love. The Pharisees were extremely quick to judge but remained stiff necked even to their own parents. Ask the Lord to help you avoid any self-destructive tendency to let your mind, will or emotions grow weak, dull and hardened to what is best.

7. Inflexible people