Negative or Positive Criticism?

Do you struggle to handle criticism? How do you react when someone criticizes you? While some critics may come from a negative place, most of the time it is meant with love and good intentions. Unfortunately, even if the person criticizing you is coming from a sincere heart desire to help, it can still hurt. If you struggle to handle criticism, read on to find out why it isn’t always a negative thing.

There are a few ways to determine whether the criticism is coming from a positive or negative place. Do you naturally respond badly to criticism of any kind? Many people are naturally defensive when they are met with criticism. What’s the proper response?

The first step is to question the initial negative reaction and bring it captive to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV). Next, pray, and ask God if there is any truth in the criticism. (1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV). Try to view the criticism with the mind of Christ. Remember, none of us are perfect! Ask God if there could be any truth in what the person is saying? However, pay attention to how the criticism is delivered. Do they give a reason for their feedback, or does it appear that they are nit-picking just to be difficult? Being able to recognize when somebody is being helpful, or just plain negative, is important. Criticism can come from a negative place, but often it is said to help us improve. Personally, it has helped me grow closer to the Lord.

How you react to criticism will be determined by how much you value the opinions of others. The more confident you are in who Christ says you are and in his love for you, the less likely negative criticism is to affect you. Those who have a healthy relationship with Jesus Christ and a daily walk with him will be able to learn from any criticism, which is a positive thing. They will receive it without taking it too personally, knowing they are not perfect. Like the Bible says, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Psalms 119:165 KJV.

Think about your own personality. Could it use some improvement? If so, focus on ways to improve the not-so-lovely aspects and you’ll notice this has a direct impact on your ability to handle criticism.

We’ve all been criticized when what we needed was an honest critique, with positive and negative points. As you work on being honest about your shortcomings, there are some other tips you can implement to deal with overly critical or negative people. Read next week’s blog for more on this!

If you’d like help recognizing negative verses positive criticism, go to Christianlifecoachtools.com and click on the blue BOOK NOW button for your Free Coaching meeting.