Warrior Truth: “Let every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity.” Col 4 v 6a TPT
In the past week, I had 2 completed projects wrapped up and ‘ready to go’ this week. Both had me tapping into my creative strengths, in different ways. The first, an annual learning report for a client, required intellectual creativity, a great deal of data analysis and document design skills to pull it all together. I was really pleased with the end result. The second project embraced my love of sewing as I had the privilege of creating a beautifully tailored dress as part of a global online pattern testing group. Looking on both completed items, I felt proud of what I had done and looked forward to the opportunity to present them to the relevant audience. As I did so, it struck me how very different each feedback experience had been and the impact that each experience had on my confidence in the process.
My learning report received varying scales of feedback, fortunately it was all positive feedback with some constructive advice thrown in. While none of it was negative, I noted the higher up our organisational hierarchy the more measured the feedback which left me feeling a little deflated and essentially prepared the ground for seeds of doubt. In contrast, the feedback received when pattern testing (both this week and in others) have left me glowing and confident in myself, my creations and my growing abilities. Each time I wear or showcase one of my creations, my confidence is boosted both through how I feel and through the many compliments I receive.
A few conversations in the week along with an incredible personal grace-filled worship experience on Sunday morning gave me the opportunity to reflect on the feedback experiences. God’s grace is His way of giving us feedback that he sees and hears us. As I knelt in worship, surrendering everything from the weeks before that had troubling me, His outpouring of grace was abundant, both in the personal encounter and through the encouraging words spoken by others into and over my life in confirmation. As I walked into the rest of my day, I felt revived, strengthened and encouraged. If only all feedback left us feeling that way!
Warrior Tool: We all need feedback in our lives from time to time, just as we are all asked to give feedback to others. I am still a little puzzled over some of the contrasting feedback experiences I encountered but these have helped me understand feedback as a Warrior tool for which I am most grateful. Feedback, as a warrior tool, should be used to revive, strengthen and encourage others, not leave them questioning. This is the kind of feedback that gives people the courage to keep going, to keep getting better.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to see every opportunity to give feedback as an opportunity to let grace speak. Lord, may we not measure our responses by our own uncertainty or anxiety, but may we find strength in your grace so we can strengthen and encourage others. Lord, for those that have received feedback that has left them questioning or deflated, may they encounter your amazing grace in response. Amen!
With God, For His Glory