You can’t please all the people all the time. One of the toughest things to tolerate in life is to be criticized. Criticism hurts us deep. The truth is, no matter what we do in life or who we are, there are times people don’t agree with the way we do things or the things we do. They try to tear us down by criticizing us to others. Some of the toughest criticism is when it is shared with friends, family, and professional affiliates in an effort to make us look bad in their eyes. Criticism often comes from people we think we are the closest to. It is important to have a coping mechanism in place before you have to face these situations. We, like the people who have just been through the hurricane, should be prepared to handle criticism before it begins. (Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.) Is it possible to deal with criticism and not let it affect your life? I think all criticism affects us. It is a great time for us to use the criticism to examine our life and see if it is merited. It is a great time to evaluate our progress and see if the criticism is jealousy based. BUT, in all criticism it is important to remember the words of the Apostle Paul. Paul says that he was not concerned about the way man judged him because he knew that God was the ultimate judge of everything he did. Learn to rejoice in hope, be patient in times of criticism, and faithfully pray each day. You will be equipped to handle whatever life brings your way. Pastor Don [image: image.png]