Picture yourself doing what you know you should be doing, and you get criticized. What do you do? Do you stop what you are doing, or do you press on?

We celebrate stories of men and women who took defeat or criticism and used the experience to motivate them to do whatever was necessary to succeed. These stories are common among athletes, such as Michael Jordon, who were told they could never make it, but turned out to prove their critics wrong. We hear of others in the business world who likewise took criticism or defeat and turned it into an “I’ll show them” attitude. As much as we celebrate those successful stories, the question should be “so how do we take criticism and turn it into motivation that drives us to move forward?” Maybe the question should be, “how do we keep from being stymied by criticism?” because that is what is most common.

There are examples in the Bible of God’s servants who were criticized to the point of bodily harm, but by God’s grace were driven to keep going and finish strong. Case in point: Jeremiah.

Jeremiah was God’s prophet whom He sent to proclaim the news to Israel and Judah that their offensive living before God was bringing His judgment upon the land. On one occasion Jeremiah was directed by God to proclaim this message in Jerusalem before the Temple. The priest was offended by Jeremiah’s message, so he placed Jeremiah in stocks to humiliate him and intimidate him. Upon Jeremiah’s release, we hear Jeremiah taking his complaint to God:

Jeremiah 20:7–9 (ESV) — 7 O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. 8 For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. 9 If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.

What a great lesson! Upon receiving criticism or in this case outright resistance, take it to God. He’s the one person who cares about all your concerns, including the hurts from criticism.

1 Peter 5:6–7 (ESV) — 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Notice from Jeremiah, how as He took his burden to the Lord, he recalled why he was doing what he was doing in the first place. God’s word was like a fire within so he could not hold back. He was doing what he was called to do.

Here’s the point: Whenever we face criticism, use that criticism to drive yourself to God in prayer and lay it out before him, just as Moses did when Korah and others criticized him for taking on too much in leadership of the children of Israel.

Numbers 16:1–4 (ESV) — 1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. 2 And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. 3 They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” 4 When Moses heard it, he fell on his face,

Moses, Jeremiah, King Hezekiah and others in the Bible give a great example of taking criticism and threats to God.

Jeremiah goes on to describe in his complaint to God a real important point for which criticism will drive us to consider which in turn will move us forward. Why are you doing what you are doing? How did you decide on this course of action, this job, or whatever you are doing for which you are being criticized?

For Jeremiah, his proclaiming God’s word to the people met with criticism but to consider giving up was just like trying to smolder a burning flame within. He simply said, “I cannot do that.”

Criticism can move you forward in a motivation to prove your critics wrong but even better; it can drive you to take your burden to the Lord and to consider again why you are doing what you are doing. These two points that we find in Jeremiah’s experience are what will move you forward when stopped by criticism.

Godspeed,

Bob Brubaker