rebelling against low expectations

How do you biblically respond to criticism?

H

R. WRITES: I face my share of criticism throughout daily life, whether it’s over a piece of writing or a work-related task. How do I face criticism with kindness and grace, the way the Bible instructs me to?


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40 comments

  • I think you should repeat the Bible verse about turning the other cheek. Don’t take it to hard because all of us will go through criticism but it will only help us grow in our faith in Jesus. If we take that criticism and start using it against ourselves, then we are believing a lie that isn’t true. Satan and his demons will try to tell us that these criticizers are telling the truth and that you should believe it, but that’s a lie. Don’t listen to them, and look to the omniscient God to tell you what’s true or not.

  • Be thankful for it! We all have room for improvement! Don’t despise it when people criticize you, rather sincerely try to accept it with humility. No one is perfect, and listening to criticism will help us grow! Though it is really hard to do, believe me!

  • Well said, KmasterZ.
    It’s hard to take it from a non beliver. I’ve had so many people make fun of me for living what I believe and it’s hard not to argue with them.

  • Thank you. I have had the exact same experience with unbelievers and at church even sometimes.

  • Yes, where I work is hard, because I’m the only Homeschooler that works there and they somtimes make fun of me, for why I am homeschooled. Its not easy to be a believer and a Homeschooler.
    But hey, God never said life would be easy, He said he would always be with us, to help us through it, whatever it might be.
    Praise God! We don’t have to walk this Journey alone.

  • Criticism is not my strong point for sure! But here’s some things that I have learned about it and how to respond to it 🙂
    1. Be thankful because without the criticism you wouldn’t be able to be a better person
    2. Accept criticism with humility and grace by not blowing up and getting defensive
    3. Hear the person who is critiquing you out because they see something that needs correcting that you don’t and if you listened you may find that they are right 😉
    4. Respect the person who is giving you advice and know that God is working through them to make you a better person.
    5. Be open to their suggestions.
    6. Don’t get mad at them they just want to help you be the very best you can be!

    I hope these tips help! I know criticism is sometimes hurtful and brutally honest but in the long run you’ll be happy and grateful for it because it will make you a better person. You may not agree with the person giving the criticism but be willing to look at what they pointed out and try and take to heart… Who know? It may be true! View and use criticism as a growing experience.
    Hope this helps!
    Your friend.
    Bekah ( http://thenarrowroadforteens.blogspot.com/ )
    P.S.
    What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and overall a better person! 🙂

  • I would suggest going to Proverbs. It talks a lot about fools and wise men, and one of the most obvious differences is his they each respond to criticism.

  • Very true. Well said.

    Deuteronomy 31:8 says “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

  • It’s not only encouraging in the aspect of God being there to help guide us but on how much He loves us.

    Psalm 23 says “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
    He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

  • I also think that John 11:35 is a really good one.

    John 11:35 “Jesus wept.”

    It has soo much meaning to it if you dive deep enough into it.

  • No problem. It’s not just hearing or reading it, but it’s believing in it.

  • Mmm… I have totally had these experiences(recently). Here’s what I have learned:

    No matter who is criticising you, there is probably some truth to what they are saying. Take it with a grain of salt depending on the person, but there is usually some truth in what people say that you can use to grow and improve.

    The people whose criticism hurts the most is the people you respect the most. And when they criticise, listen, because they only do it because they love you. My much-beloved band director at church once pulled me aside and told me some pretty hard things to hear that she had seen in me, and it hurt a lot for me and for her. But I can honestly say that some of the best criticism I have ever received has come from those I love.

    There is this thing called “constructive criticism”. It is a thing, and it is when people tell you things you don’t want to hear so that you can become better. It helps you grow, and if you listen to it, you can grow a lot.

    The other thing is this: don’t get defensive. You won’t get to hear people’s corrections and learn from them if you get defensive and say that they’re imagining things. It is frustrating for them and for you, and you will not learn a blessed thing if you won’t listen to criticism.

    So: learn from it. Take it with a grain of salt sometimes, but listen to criticism. If you use it to become better, you’ll be ahead of most of the people on earth.

  • I agree with you that the enemy can use what people say to us against us- I experience that all the time. But I would disagree that you shouldn’t listen to constructive criticism. It is something that everyone needs at some time in our lives, it is what our mentors use in love to point out our flaws and how we can improve, it is how professors critique their students that they may become better writers. I have grown a great deal from criticism from much respected mentors. I honestly believe that God sometimes calls people to criticism(in love) to other believers- the verse about how if a brother is sinning, go and confront him?

    If you were talking about random people or people whose opinion is probably not important, then yes, listen, sort out what is true and not, and then throw out t he rest.

  • This is a tough one. There are two types of criticism. Good and bad. Bad criticism is just when someone is telling you you did something wrong just to: a. get you mad or b. get you sad. Good criticism is when someone tells you you did something wrong so you could get better at something. They are telling you that you did something wrong, so you know your mistake and that you can learn from it. Either way, I just say thanks, or in the case of good, say thanks for the advice. Hope this helps!

  • If I am criticized, for me, the best thing to do is not to start a fight. The thing is, if your talking about someone criticizing an opinion, then that

  • I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I just have to say that all criticism isn’t always true. Some people criticize you to make you feel bad about yourself. They do it to be rude and disrespectful. Sometimes, they even have a reputation for it. I have had to deal with people like that in my own church. Someone telling me I’m doing something wrong and making fun of me. I know people criticize to help, and if they are doing it to help, you should be thankful. Just think, if you were really doing something wrong and didn’t realize it, and no one pointed it out, you could’ve been a lot more embarrassed.

    It’s okay to be defensive if someone is criticizing you just to be mean. If you don’t defend yourself, they will just keep doing it because then they think of you as an easy target. I’m not saying that you need to fight, but sometimes it is better to speak up.

  • This is very true; some people do criticize just so that they can hurt you. I think that is where discernment comes in, knowing who is trying to help you grow(constructive criticisim) and who is just trying to tear you down. Not all critics are helpful.

  • I think some people don’t know the difference. Some people get mad or upset if someone tells them they are doing something incorrectly. They might appreciate the help. I’m not saying I always like it when someone tells me I’m doing something wrong. But once I am not upset anymore, I begin to appreciate they’re help. I don’t always have to do what they say. I guess it is just an opinion.

    When someone hurts me with their words, I like to fire back, because I know they won’t stop unless I shut them up myself.

rebelling against low expectations

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