Sometimes we feel discouraged. Maybe we try our hardest to accomplish a task and it just isn't good enough in someone else's eyes. I have run across this many times throughout my life when I have done my best, but certain people pick out the one thing that I didn't do. We all have had that experience once in a while.
I recently heard a story about a man who came home from college and cleaned and organized his father's basement. The father went down and looked at all the hard work the young man did and went back up stair and say to him, "You forgot to turn the light off in the basement." There were no words of thanks or even a little praise. There was a criticism that stuck with that young man for years I would imagine.
If criticism is all we here from people then it is no wonder we feel discouraged. It is pretty interesting when you think about it. We could get 99 people tell us that we did a good job, but that one person that gives us that criticism seems to stick out in our mind. Sometimes I find those remarks from a critical person just seem to play over and over in my head. The more it plays over in my head the more hurt I feel. Then bitterness takes root in my heart. Then anger starts to emerge. Then I realize that feeling this way isn't helping and getting angry over some narrow minded jerk that doesn't know any better won't fix anything. They will probably never change their ways, but I am not responsible for how they act. I am responsible how I respond and act.
I am responsible to live for the Lord and walk in the Holy Spirit. The Lord wants us to love Him with all of our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. He also wants us to love others as He so greatly loves us. We must be very willing to forgive those people who think it is their mission in life to point out our mistakes or our not singing good enough in the choir. It will be hard at times. It isn't always easy to forgive some people. Especially if they continue being difficult and have treated us badly for a long time. We must turn them over to the Lord and forgive them.
We may need to ask the Lord for help in forgiving those who hurt us. The Lord knows the pain and anger that we sometimes feel. He knows our hurts and those things that bother us. He knows that our discouragement can make us feel isolated and all alone. We may feel like we are just not good enough for anybody. I sometimes feel that way and it is not a good feeling to have.
We must remember that Jesus loves us and HE cares for us even when it appears that no one likes us or understands us. God cares. When we do our best for Him and His glory He is pleased even when it is not perfect.
I am not good enough to earn God's love or His forgiveness. I am thankful that I am saved by the grace of Jesus Christ through placing my faith in Him and His finished work on the Cross.
Lord,
Sometimes criticism hurts.
Help us forgive those who criticize and attack our work.
Forgive us when we are the ones that do the criticizing.
Lead us closer to You O Lord.
Come soon Lord Jesus.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
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