"It's the "C" Word"

  While sitting last evening with a dear brother in Christ, he asked me why it was so difficult for preachers to take criticism. When one hears things like this, it makes you wonder what is about to hit you. But as he further explained that he recently went through some criticism in his service to the Lord. I could hear his words in sort of a shaky way. It was bothering his heart. It all seem to tie together that as he had been critical of preachers in the past, here he was faced with some criticism of his own and he was having difficulty handling it. He gained a new perspective of how to deal with his criticisms toward others as he was having to deal with it toward himself.

  I know we don't like criticism. It can hurt. It does hurt especially when people are just blunt and mean. I have been accused of that. I have been accused of being too blunt and mean-spirited. It makes me ponder things. Personally speaking, as this is my blog, my personal blog, I have never, ever known in my heart that  I was ever mean-spirited! That is foreign to me. Some perhaps may think when I get a little loud as being mean-spirited, I don't know but those who know me know there is not one ounce of meanness toward others in me. God is my witness. I know over the years that in preaching/teaching you will say things that aren't the best way and even things you wished didn't come out. Once it happens, you can't take it back. It makes you more aware of how you say things. People will criticize, "You're too loud!" You tone it down. "I can't hear what you're saying, speak up!" You rev it up. "I don't like your preaching as well as someone else's!" That's not troublesome and it makes me thankful for others. "You need to be this or that!" or "Stop being this or that!" It makes you reflect. In the whole, it can send you to the nut house if you don't know how to handle it!

  How do you handle it? You must realize who you serve. God or man? Man will be critical. Sometimes you need the criticism to help but those who love you will help you. I've had many good, faithful brothers and sisters help me over the years. Stand in the presence of God. Keep your heart directed toward Him and Him alone. Yes, you will make your mistakes and others will criticize you at times but if you will do what you do with all your heart in humility and honesty, all that matters is He knows!! Sometimes those who criticize are those who the word of the Lord touched and rather than deal with it, they find a way to divert it from penetrating their heart (Heb. 4:12). They criticize. Those the Lord touches, they help you get a little further down the road. Criticism...sometimes known as "Suffering 101!" It helps you develop when taken upward to the Lord.