Proverbs 15:10
"Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die."
Correction is a great indicator of the heart.
It says in the verse above that correction is grievous only to those who have forsaken the right way. In other words, those who don't want to do right are the only one's who will hate correction.
Throughout my lifetime, I have watched this verse often reveal someone's heart. I have watched young people who resist correction, and later you see them go the wrong way in life. On the other hand, I have watched young people let correction guide them, and they went on to a productive life. How you receive correction will certainly dictate your future. Let me give you some suggestions on how to receive correction.
First, don't get upset! When I was a boy, if I ever showed an attitude when I was being corrected, my mother would make sure the attitude was changed before the correction was over. You must understand that you are the one who did wrong. The one correcting you is not happy that they have to correct you. Don't get upset at the one who is applying the correction. Realize that they are simply trying to help you have a better future.
Second, don't blame others when you are being corrected. One of the worst things you can do is to try and deflect to others when you're being corrected. It is not about what others have done, it is all about what you have done. Deflecting is only done to try and bring the attention off yourself. You will never change your ways if you try to blame others. That is what got King Saul into more trouble with God. He wanted to blame everyone else and not take responsibility for his own actions. When you are being corrected, keep your focus on what you need to change.
Third, don't attack the one who is correcting you. This is a classic reaction to those who don't want to admit their wrong. You must realize the one correcting you is not the one who did wrong. They are simply doing what they're supposed to do when someone does wrong. Again, attacking the corrector is not accepting personal responsibility for your actions.
Fourth, let correction show you how to correct wrong actions. When you're in school, you let errors teach you what you need to correct. You must do the same in life. When you are corrected, you must find the core of the problem that led you to do wrong and correct that core so it won't happen again.
Always remember that how you receive correction only reveals your heart. If you're heart is wrong, then get your heart right. Don't let correction be a grievous things. Thank God that you got caught before you did something that could completely ruin your life. You will find that if you receive correction properly, it won't seem so difficult to correct your wrongs.