Be Great in the Midst of Criticism

 

 

Be Great in the Midst of Criticism

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you."
(Matthew 5:44, NKJV)

TODAY'S WORD:

If you’re going to pursue greatness, if you’re going to be a great businessperson, a great teacher, a great parent, a great leader, you have to understand that not everyone is going to cheer you on. I’d love to tell you that your family, friends and co-workers will celebrate you, but that’s not necessarily the case. Some people simply can’t handle your success. As you grow and increase, as God pours out His favor on you, someone will get jealous. Someone will start finding fault. Don’t be surprised if a relative tries to belittle or discredit you. You can’t focus on making everyone around you happy or you’ll start changing and lose sight of what God has placed in your heart. 

Remember, your destiny is too great to be distracted by people who are never going to affirm you. Don’t take it personally. It’s not about you. It’s their problem. Shake it off, run your race, and be great anyway. 

Having greatness in the midst of criticism begins with forgiveness. Don’t hold a grudge. Bless those who curse you; pray for those who spitefully use you. As you keep doing what is right, God will honor you. He’ll promote you, and you’ll be great in the midst of criticism!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, I come to You today with an open and humble heart. I choose to forgive those who have criticized me. I choose to bless those who have hurt me. I choose to be great because You have equipped and empowered me to be great in the midst of criticism in Jesus’ name! Amen.

God Loves You in Your Brokenness

BY RICK WARREN — SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

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“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NIV)

In Genesis 32, Jacob had wrestled all night with a man, who was actually God. Genesis 32:27 says, “The man asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Jacob,’ he answered” (NIV).

What a strange request. God obviously knew Jacob’s name. Whenever God asks you a question, it’s never for his benefit. He already knows the answer!

The reason he asked this was that he wanted Jacob to admit what he was. In ancient times, names were chosen for their meaning, not for how nice they sounded. So you could be named after a profession like a baker or a carpenter or a smith. You could be named after a relative or you could be named for the situation you were in. Jabez was named “painful” because he came in a painful birth.

But parents mostly named their kids based on their character. When people said their name, they were telling someone what kind of person they were.

Jacob’s name means “deceiver.” And — oh boy — did he live up to his name! His entire life he lied to get out of many situations and one conflict after another because he was a deceiver. He was a manipulator. When God asked Jacob what his name was, he wanted him to own up to who he was.

Here’s the cool thing about it. When Jacob says, “I am Manipulator,” God was not shocked. He didn’t say, “You’ve got to be kidding me! I’m fighting with a manipulator? How did I miss that? I didn’t see that one coming.” God already knew everything bad about Jacob, just like he already knows everything bad about you — even the stuff you don’t know about yourself.

The Bible says in Malachi 1:2, “I have loved Jacob.” I like that verse because it gives me hope. If God loved Jacob who was so unlovable, who was such a manipulator, who was such a scoundrel, who was such a crook, who was such a liar — then God can love someone like me, too.

If you want lasting change in your life, you have to stop making excuses and rationalizing and blaming others for your brokenness. You have to be honest with God and with yourself and admit in humility, “I am the problem.”

How does God respond to our brokenness? The Bible says, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Talk It Over

• What do you think God wants you to admit about yourself so that you can move forward in healing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWRsEgPbLU8
• Why is it so difficult to be honest with God, even when you know he already knows everything about you?
• What are the parts of yourself that you think are unlovable? Talk to God about those weaknesses today, and ask him for help to accept his unconditional love and let it change you.