Enjoying Peace of Mind Around Your Critics

Enjoying Peace of Mind Around Your Critics

Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called into one body and be ye thankful.”

Are you forced to be in a situation where you must be in close contact with those who criticize you? If so, you have discovered how difficult it is to have peace of mind during those times. It may be at work, you have a coworker who has made it their ministry to ruin your life. It may be at home, you have inherited family members through marriage that have chosen to make your life miserable at all cost. It may even be at church where you assemble every week. A certain member may just be rude to you when ever you come near them. The fact is, regardless of where it is coming from, it is real to you and has affected your ability to socialize with them and others when they are around.

You need to know that God makes no mistakes. He has them in your life for a reason. You may not be able to change them but you can change you. The good news is that peace is available in spite of their feelings toward you. Our Lord was hated, criticized, and accused of wrong doing. He was questioned in regards to his authority and yet he held his peace (Matthew 26:63). You may ask, why do they have to be so rude to me? What have I done to them? You may feel like they have targeted you just to make you miserable. If you are going to have peace of mind in their presence, you are going to have to follow some biblical principles. It is the Spirit that will produce the fruit of Peace. First accept them as your ministry not your problem. If they continue to affect you God is revealing that you’re not dead to self. You have not submitted to God’s will. If you can’t remove your self from them without getting out of God’s will then you’ve got to know they are part of God’s will. Second, you have to reprove the critical thinking you have toward them even though it is a result of their treatment of you. Titus 3:2 says, “to speak evil of no man…” If we allow our selves to think evil about them we are going to speak evil about them. It is this behaviour that keeps us in the flesh and out of the spirit. 2 Timothy 3:24-26 “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men (even those who criticize you), apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” If we keep ourselves from speaking evil about them we will have a better conscience when we are around them. Acts 24:16 “and herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and men.” The third principle is treat them nice, look to be a blessing rather than receive a blessing. Matthew 5:44 “But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” You are going to have to pray diligently but if you desire peace God will help you. Philippians 4:6&7 teach us that when we pray as we ought we will have a “peace that passeth all understanding”.

What a blessing it is to be at peace amongst those who criticize us. This may be just the remedy they need to help them grow. Remember how patient the Lord Jesus has been with you over the years and follow his example.

Read; Philippians 4


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