Anytime you want to make a difference, there will be critics. Every difference maker faces opposition. Nehemiah experienced resistance first hand. The critics showed up as the wall started going up. They continued taunting Nehemiah and his crew throughout the process. To the critic, rebuilding the wall seemed impossible. They rooted for the Jews to fail. Anytime we take a next step, we experience criticism just as Nehemiah did.

 

Criticism will surely come when we take a stand for Jesus. It’s often because the change we are experiencing challenges and convicts them of their own lack of action.  Our success draws attention to their personal failures. So when the critics come, we can follow Nehemiah’s example and focus on what God is calling us to do. Or, we can be distracted by the critics who are rooting for us to fail. But, we can’t do both.

 

Criticism is really a gift if we seize it as an opportunity to strengthen our faith in the Lord, who is strong and mighty. Jesus never ran away from criticism. He embraced it as a gift that can be used to become courageous in the midst of fear. We may not seek out criticism, but it may be a gift we really need.

 

Overcoming opposition and criticism is about realizing who we are and what we’ve been called by God to do. When we seek God’s voice above all others, we’ll find the confidence to do the work. Just as Nehemiah refused to come off the wall, we must not be distracted from the mission God gave us.

 

Read: Nehemiah 4

 

How can you prepare your heart for the criticism that’s sure to come today?