#368 Dealing with Reaction to Criticism Part 2
Here are a few other thoughts the Lord brought to mind, helpful in dealing with my personal reaction to criticism.
“The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We are destroying speculations (#3053: a reasoning) and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience (#5218 attentive hearkening) of Christ…” 2 Corinthians 5:4-5 NIV/NASB
An awareness for me: The weapons of the world can include personal reaction, (among many other things) and the purpose of these reactions can be to ‘win’ and prove we are right. It is so human to want to be right!
Reaction is based on ‘speculation,’ i.e. human reasoning, and the meaning we attach to the situation. The challenge is to re-think and renew, bringing our thoughts under the control of the attentive listening of Christ, and the meaning HE wishes us to hear. Our Lord listened attentively to the Heavenly Father. John 5:30 He learned and crystallized obedience, (#5219 attentive hearkening) by the things that he suffered. Hebrews 5:8
I am reminded to focus on creating the space to make sanctified choice, between the event and the reaction, through prayer and practicing the attentive listening of Christ. “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” (Victor Frankl) “But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” James 1:18-19 We can avoid reacting when we are “quick to listen and slow to speak”—when we quiet in our minds again through prayer and practicing the attentive listening of Christ. Psalm 19:14 This may require spiritual duct tape when the challenge is before us! Psalm 39:1
To be continued a third time…
Here are a few other thoughts the Lord brought to mind, helpful in dealing with my personal reaction to criticism.
“The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We are destroying speculations (#3053: a reasoning) and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience (#5218 attentive hearkening) of Christ…” 2 Corinthians 5:4-5 NIV/NASB
An awareness for me: The weapons of the world can include personal reaction, (among many other things) and the purpose of these reactions can be to ‘win’ and prove we are right. It is so human to want to be right!
Reaction is based on ‘speculation,’ i.e. human reasoning, and the meaning we attach to the situation. The challenge is to re-think and renew, bringing our thoughts under the control of the attentive listening of Christ, and the meaning HE wishes us to hear. Our Lord listened attentively to the Heavenly Father. John 5:30 He learned and crystallized obedience, (#5219 attentive hearkening) by the things that he suffered. Hebrews 5:8
I am reminded to focus on creating the space to make sanctified choice, between the event and the reaction, through prayer and practicing the attentive listening of Christ. “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” (Victor Frankl) “But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” James 1:18-19 We can avoid reacting when we are “quick to listen and slow to speak”—when we quiet in our minds again through prayer and practicing the attentive listening of Christ. Psalm 19:14 This may require spiritual duct tape when the challenge is before us! Psalm 39:1
To be continued a third time…
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