Welcome my friends to season 3 of the Determined to Dance podcast. My prayer is that you’ll be encouraged to persevere daily in our chaotic world. In today’s episode, How to Face the Critics, we’ll focus on how to deal with the people who aren’t pleased with our dance.

Show Notes: How to Face the Critics

Let’s get one thing straight right now. There will always be critics. I’m not talking about constructive criticism delivered with kindness and a genuine desire to help. I’m speaking of people who just enjoy being critical. Whether you’re dancing with God in ministry, raising a family, working at your job, or even buying groceries, these people are lying in wait to ruin your day. They could even think they’re doing you a favor, with words like:

Why don’t you pray an hour a day like me?
Don’t you think you should homeschool? Or go to public school?
You aren’t as efficient as our last secretary.
You don’t seem to be qualified to lead this ministry.
Why in the world aren’t you clipping coupons to save money?

Does it drive you to distraction too? I want to scream, mind your own business instead of mine. How in the world can we face these critics that seem to be everywhere? First, we can keep our eyes on our dance partner. Jeff Walling says: “Training the eyes of our heart on God will free our dancing in more ways than one. First, keeping your eyes solidly on your dance partner keeps you from being distracted by onlookers.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says: “Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith.” NIV

Distractions are endless and people will try to pull us from our focus on God. Keep the eye of your heart on the One who loved you enough to die for you. He is truly for you.

Secondly, don’t keep your eyes on others. You can doubt yourself if others aren’t doing what you are or the way you are doing it. As a writer, I study and read a lot. Sometimes, I’ll read a novel and think: this is the best book I’ve ever read. I wish I could write like that. Or I wish my podcast was as popular as so and so’s. Or my website looked more professional. Maybe I’m too weird or subtle or boring or something. Before I know it, I’m depressed, throwing a pity party, and not following the path that God laid out for me.

Jeff Walling says: “…we are judged by God alone. He is the only audience that matters. His opinion is the only one we should constantly poll.”

It’s extremely important to keep our eyes on Jesus and off of others. What else can we do to help us dance with abandon?

We walk in love. God calls us to love Him and love our neighbor. That’s not only our best friend neighbors but the grumpy ones too. We can pray for God to help us to be more loving.
We walk in truth. God’s word is true. If someone slanders the way we worship, we look to God and His Word. We pray. We follow truth and not what might be popular opinion.
We walk in faith. We believe God has a plan and purpose for us and He will light our path. Sometimes we might have to sit and wait but we trust in the One who loves us most.
We walk in hope. There is never a reason to abandon hope when the critics are harsh. “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40: 31 NIV

Love, truth, faith, and hope. When we walk with these virtues in our hearts, we can face the critical with heads held high.

Let’s pray: Father God, we come to you with hearts often burdened by critics. We want to be teachable but many want to drag us through the mire. Give us the wisdom to discern what we should do. Fill us with love, truth, faith, and hope so we can follow your path daily. In Jesus’ name, we pray,