The Truth about Criticism

Day 41

One of the things I want to change most about myself is my critical spirit.  I have always had one. Praise God I am not what I was and His grace will help me be what I want to be: criticism free. Honestly, just the other on a very exciting day in my life,  I found something to criticize. It makes me sick to think about.

Like I said, the me I used to be is not dead and gone completely but is looking so much better. God orchestrated my life in such a way that I would be on the receiving end of criticism. In saying yes to a life of ministry I positioned myself on the front lines of the battlefield. Criticism comes because I used “the wrong translation” of the Bible. It has come because my story of obedience involved saying no to drinking Dr. Pepper because the Lord told me to give it up. (It was spiritual enough.) I could go on and on but I will only share one more example, one that changed me forever.

I had written a devotion in which I referred to my stubborn will as  “a spiritual learning disability.” A precious woman emailed me to tell me about her son, who suffered from learning disabilities and how my comment was offensive to her. Now before you get all up in arms, putting your hands on your hips to say, “That is ridiculous.” God humbled me. He taught me  a huge lesson. Not all criticism is meant to be critical of me but constructive for me.

God used this woman to teach me to closely evaluate what others say and ask myself: Is there any truth in what this person said? If there is, I ask God to show me the lesson and change me. If there is not, I move on. Honestly, I do. I lay it down and move on.

I later stumbled across a verse in Proverbs, “If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.” (15:31) In that particular year I had been praying for God to help me be wise.  Little did I know something that could sting so badly would be the answer to my prayer.  I love how God’s Word has a place in our everyday life. Seriously.  He wrote a verse for everything!

4 Comments

  1. Bless your heart. I can’t imagine being on the “front lines of the battlefield” and therefore subjected to all the criticism you must be, but I can see where it would shape you or break you. I will pray it continues to shape you the way God wants you to be, to lose the “critical spirit” you say you had. God bless you Wendy, for sharing with us, and teaching us. I so appreciate your sharing and teaching spirit.

    April Bunch

  2. Thank you for sharing; for being so open and honest. I too have a critical spirit that wants and needs to be changed. I try very hard and some days I do pretty good, but other days I fail tremendously. I have prayed for change, to be filled with the spirit and I know that God loves me and is changing me, but sometimes I can’t believe (what I have said), it’s like did I just say that, and what triggered that kind of response from me. Anyway I enjoy reading your blogs and I am so thankful for the Provers 31 Ministry. May God bless you and all the women at Proverbs 31.

  3. Difficult week with my son, and God used you to give me (and my son) the verse needed to go with the conversation I had with him about constructive criticism. And perfectionism. Thanking God for you and for how He answers my prayers for help and wisdom. Thank you for sharing your struggle, so you could help us in ours. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

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