And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.
                                                        1 Nephi 16:2

Being cut to the very center does not feel good in the slightest. However, it is an effective way of learning if we can humble ourselves enough to see the lesson being taught.

King Benjamin taught that the natural man is an enemy to God, and will be forever, "unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child...." (see Mosiah 3:19)

I've never thought of myself as an "enemy to God." However, as I reflected today on my reaction to the well intentioned advice that I received yesterday, I can see the truth is Benjamin's words. We all like to think that we are right. It hurts when someone tells you strait up that you are wrong. Recognizing when advice, even when hurtful, is given out of love allows us to grow.

God uses other people to bless our lives. None of us like to be cut down, but we all need a little pruning now and again. Becoming bitter and angry only prolongs the pain.