CRITICISM

You might as well get use to it, because no matter where you are, or what you say, somebody is going to find fault and CRITICIZE you. It’s unpleasant, but true. I’ve been in ministry for over thirty years and I’ve had to deal with it from the beginning. At first it really hurt my feelings to think that someone didn’t like what I was doing, or how I was doing something in the kingdom. As a musician and songwriter I’ve dealt with it too. ‘Your songs are too contemporary”, ‘too country”, “too soulful”, “too slow”, or “too fast”. “You play too loud”, or “why does he get to play so much and why do they get to sing at so many events?” “He preaches too long”, “too loud” and “why does he preach out of the Old Testament so much?”

I’ve also found that no matter who you hang around, there is somebody that will find fault with your friends. I’ve been friends with the conservatives and the liberals found fault. I’ve been friends with the liberals and the conservatives did the same. Even in Christian organizations, and I’ve been in more than one, whether it’s big, or small, you’ll find some great people in them, but you’ll also find CRITICISM. For some people you can’t preach hard enough, for others, boundaries just get in the way. When your church is small, you’ll have people tell you to “just keep on keeping on”, then when your church starts growing they’ll say, “you must be compromising”. As Pastors, we teach our members not to criticize others, but sadly, It never really stops.

I’m not writing this because I’m upset at anyone. My hope is that I can be an encouragement to someone who is under severe attack right now. Perhaps you’ve lost what you thought was a close friendship recently because no matter how hard you tried, they just couldn’t stop finding fault. Whatever the situation is, let me assure you that nothing you do can change the unfair attack of criticism. The main thing you have to realize is you don’t have to please anyone but the Lord. If what your’e doing is being blessed by Him, then ignore your critics and embrace God’s blessings. Every moment you spend worrying about what people think, is time you could be spending working on your ministry and what your’e doing for the Kingdom.

Be like Nehemiah when he was facing criticism. The bible said he refused to leave the work he was doing and waste time meeting with his critics. Let it go and let them go my friend. It doesn’t matter if they are friends, or family…you can’t afford the distraction. Be kind, but be about the Father’s business. Don’t ever forget what battle you should be fighting. Also remember this…if you are being criticized, just start reading about the successful men and women of God in the Bible and you’ll find that you are in good company. The prophets, the disciples, and even Jesus faced criticism while working in the Kingdom. You’ might feel like Paul. The Galatians love me, but the Corinthians have been very critical of my ministry…they might need two letters.

Keep pleasing God, reaching people by sharing the Gospel, and refuse to be distracted by CRITICISM.