Friday, November 16, 2007

How To Handle Criticism

So often I have gotten upset over my own inadequacies, my own failures, my own stupidities, and I have thought, "If only I had...or If only I hadn't..."

As you've seen on this blog, not all of my mail consists of love letters! Not everyone who talks to me is always nice to me. Not every member of my family loves me or accepts me the way I am. And although I may try, I'm not all that I should be. I have to deal with rejection, some of which comes because of my personality and inadequacies and some because of my beliefs. How do I handle it?

By accepting what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:10, "by the grace of God, I am what I am" and by believing that I am in the process of being conformed to His image. By trying to learn from my mistakes and seeking to turn from that which is not Christlike in character and behavior.

Especially when faced with criticism, I have to remember that I am God's bond-servant--not man's--and He is the one to whom I am accountable. Galations 1:10 says, "For am I now seeking the favor of men or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."

You and I must remember to let this truth daily guide our words in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, "Just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts."

2 comments:

John said...

Barbie, it is only by God's grace that your family and so many others are blessed by Barbie.
It only by grace that I am blessed by these blogs you put out.

QUESTION: can God please everyone???

Anonymous said...

Barbie, you are too worried about what others think or say. God is the only one that matters. Just do the best you can do, be the best you can be and leave the rest to God. That's all He wants.