Criticism...How Will We Handle It?

The second session with Kathy Litton at the Arkansas Ministers' Wives Luncheon and Conference was excellent, as well.  These are my notes from her time with us.

"Being Healthy with Criticism" was the title she gave this session.  That catches the eye of most women right off.

There are two extreme responses to criticism that we exhibit - ignore/dismiss or reach/respond.

Receive what you have been given - recognize there is an element of truth in every criticism.  We must look for that kernel of truth.
Flush some criticisms - they are not issues that we should respond to
Redirect criticisms that have nothing to do with you to the person or group with whom they belong
Reject those things that you should not have conversation or concern about.

Be careful to not take criticisms too personally, own the fact that often improvement is needed, apologize when needed, and realize that criticisms and complaints are always going to come.

Work on relationships with those who tend to be your critics - improve relationship outside of the area that your critic seems to dwell upon.

God uses criticism.
He uses it for correction, to remind me that He is the one that I should most want to please, to teach me to rest in His love, to mature me emotionally. and to allow me to set an example for others.

One thing that stood out to me and touch me personally is this statement: "We have the stewardship of the fruit of our disappointment."  Recognizing that we will face disappointment and there is no getting around it, we must be on guard as to how we will handle it.  Our disappointments can produce regrets and bitterness or they can produce maturity and graciousness.  It is up to us whether we will use what we learn from our disappointments for the better of ourselves and our influence on others or whether we will wallow in it.  I choose to grow and learn from these, sometimes, heartbreaking experiences.  This is where we rest in Him and trust His love for us.  We must ask ourselves when faced with disappointment - "What am I going to do with this?"