The Biggest Obstacle to Learning - E-Books

Life is a lesson, and we always have something to learn. A wise man once said that when we stop learning, we start dying. "My child, when you stop learning, you will soon neglect what you already know. (Proverbs 19:27 GNT). We know only as much as we are open to learning, and when we stop learning, we become like stagnant water that breeds germs and stinks.

Learning helps us to be enlightened and enhances our exposure to society. It is also a major tool needed for influence. But do you know what the greatest obstacle to learning is? - It is Ego. It takes humility to learn. Even God teaches only those who are humble. "Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way." (Psalm 25:8-9)

Very often, God will instruct sinners in the way, but He will pass by the self-righteous. This is why He passed by the Pharisees and Sadducees and spoke to the prostitutes and the tax collectors.

Humble individuals recognize their limitations and know there is always more to learn. This openness to new information and experiences is essential for personal growth and development.

On the other hand, those who believe that they already know everything are closed off to new ideas and learning opportunities. This type of thinking is often driven by ego, which can be thought of as a false sense of self-importance. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 8:2-3, "And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know."

You may be a business person for 30 years and more but this scripture tells us that there is always something new to learn. There is always something new that God wants to reveal.

Sometime back, I was in the nation of Sri Lanka, and I visited this wonderful man of God's church. He handed over the mic to me and said, "Pastor, please address the church." I was taken aback as I was not really expecting it. Suddenly the Holy Spirit whispered, "Say, I have come to learn from the man of God." If you are already moving in the prophetic, there is always something else to learn from someone else who is moving in the prophetic.

There is no man of God, no ministry, no church, and no business that is perfect, but then if you get your ego out of the way and have an attitude to learn, you will go to a new level. The Bible says in Romans 11:33, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"

Ego makes us too full to receive from God. A man that has an ego is like a cup that is filled up with water; any drop of water that falls into it flows to the ground. God is unable to interact and reveal new things to such a person. God is releasing things, but you are too full of yourself to receive anything from Him.

Even Lord Jesus opened Himself early to learn from the teachers of His days. Luke 2:46 says, "Now so it was that after three days they (Mary and Joseph) found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions."

Notice Jesus was listening and asking. Listening is proof of humility and learning. Yes, He is the God who has perfect knowledge of all things. He does not have to learn anything, and He has not forgotten anything, but as a man, He let go of who He was and learned. In Luke 2: 52, the Bible says, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." This shows Jesus' commitment to continuous learning and personal development.

As a manager, as an entrepreneur, you need to be a good listener. You need to receive feedback concerning your product or services, or else you will only be a market leader for a short time.

When Jesus grew up to become a teacher, He said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

If you read these verses carefully, you will observe that Jesus' primary invitation is for us to learn His ways. He came to show us the ways of the kingdom, and He quickly rolled out the requirements, "you need to be meek like me to learn." Jesus said He is meek, meaning no proud person can be admitted into His class. The disciples were with Him for about three years, learning the ways of the kingdom because they submitted themselves to His leadership. Some of them knew who Jesus was before he started His ministry, yet they let go of their pride and ego so they could learn what it takes to be an Apostle in the nearest future.

Ego can cause someone to feel overconfident and invincible, leading them to underestimate their own vulnerabilities. However, this ego-driven confidence is often fragile and can be easily shattered by even the smallest challenges or criticisms. In other words, the ego is like a suit of armour that may appear to be made of steel but is actually made of paper. While it may give the appearance of strength and protection, it is easily penetrated and can leave the wearer vulnerable to harm.

When we are proud of our strengths, we may stop striving to improve and become stagnant. This can ultimately lead to a decline in our abilities and a loss of strength. Similarly, pride in our spirituality can lead us to become self-righteous and judgmental towards others rather than remaining open and humble in our beliefs.

One of the main reasons we are not able to reach people for Christ is because we carry this spiritual ego that we are far superior to them.

In Luke 18:10-13 Lord Jesus spoke of two men who went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'"

You see, the very teachings and principles that would help the Pharisee (in this case, fasting and tithing) because of his ego and pride became the reason he was not justified before God. So you see, when we are proud and egoistic of our spirituality, it can ultimately erode our spirituality and disconnect us from the very teachings and principles that guide us. The very things we are proud of are destroyed by pride itself.

If God can use a donkey to teach a prophet like Balaam, then God can teach you even through a small kid. If a cock can teach a mighty apostle like Peter, then you must be open to receive and learn from the simplest people around you.

So, you need to ask yourself, "Do I still have space in me to receive learning?" "Am I a sealed vessel or a yielded vessel?" God always has something to say. There is always something new to learn from people. You need to be open. The fact that you are the leader doesn't mean you can't learn from people anymore. That you are the head of the house doesn't mean your wife cannot teach you some things.

Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:9, "For we know in part and we prophesy in part." Did you see that? God designed man that way so we will not be ego-driven. No one is an encyclopedia of all knowledge. There is always something others know that you need to learn if you must know it too. So, roll down those high shoulders and climb over the obstacle of learning.