Prayer for accepting criticism and growing from it
Written by Vivian Bricker
Bible reading:
“He that heeds life-giving correction is among the wise; he that ignores discipline despises himself, but he that heeds correction finds understanding” (Proverbs 15:31-32).
Listen or read below:
A few months ago, I started meeting with a college career coach. Since I was having such a hard time building a full-time career, I thought the best option was to talk to my alma mater. The woman who was my career coach was a mastermind and her knowledge is truly humbling. She is smart, honest and very intelligent. The advice she gave me during the coaching session was life changing.
At the beginning of the session, she said that I needed to learn to accept criticism. I used to have a really hard time getting criticized because it brought up childhood issues, but now I’ve learned to accept it. Criticism can hurt our feelings, but if it comes from someone who is truly trying to improve us, we don’t have to forgive it.
When my career coach reviewed my writing, she said it needed to come alive. She described it as “dead.” She told me about one of my devotional works and said the idea was good, but I didn’t make it happen.
As I sat there listening to her story, intense bewilderment and sadness filled my heart. I thought I had learned to accept criticism, but here I was feeling terrible about myself. My career coach gave me valuable advice to bring my writing to life. That was insightful. But my feelings were still hurt.
A few days after this meeting, I started rethinking all my work. I didn’t want to write anything because I felt stupid to think I could be a writer. I kept hearing these words over and over in my head: “You can’t do anything right. You’re not good at anything.”
It took me a while to break out of this mental prison, but the Lord helped me learn from criticism, accept it, and truly grow from it. Criticism is never fun, but it is important for our own growth and improvement as individuals.
The Bible says, “He who pays attention to life-giving correction is among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but he who pays attention to correction finds understanding” (Proverbs 15:31-32). Listening to corrections that enrich our lives helps us grow from our mistakes.
Our mistakes are part of life, but they don’t define us. The important thing is that we continue to strive for self-improvement. This can be accomplished by following the Bible and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives.
Criticism is difficult for most people because it reveals past hurts. Maybe our parents were overly critical of us when we were children. As we grow up, when others criticize us, a variety of negative emotions arise.
Rather than suppressing these feelings, we can choose to listen to constructive criticism and recognize that the person offering it genuinely wants us to improve. They’re not trying to tear us apart.
Listening to their opinions and applying their advice can really help in our lives. When you find it difficult to accept criticism, ask the Lord to help you accept it and grow from it. God will give you the peace and comfort you need.
Let’s pray:
Dear God, I don’t enjoy criticism. Like many people, I feel bad about myself. Also, it brings up a lot of memories of when I was little and my parents were overly critical of me. Help me accept criticism and grow from it. Be prepared to be strong even when criticized by others. I would like to take it calmly and listen to wise opinions.
I know I may still hurt from time to time, but I know that you will help me work through the pain and disappointment. I trust that You will lead my heart to the path of wisdom, rather than ignoring the path of the wise. Dear God, thank you for always hearing my prayers.
In your son’s name we pray, amen.
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Photo credit: ©Getty Images/lovelyday12
Vivian Bricker earned a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry and then a Master of Arts with an emphasis in Theology. She loves theology, ministry, and all things helping others learn about Jesus. Check out more of her content on Cultivate.
Related resource: Establish a rest routine
For a long time, rest felt less like a gift and more like a guilty indulgence. It was something that was earned, something that felt vaguely embarrassing, and something that productive, loyal people didn’t really need. In a world where we measure our worth by our accomplishments, the idea of stopping feels dangerously backwards.
But what if rest isn’t an option? What if it was never meant to be? Forget about the hustle and bustle tonight. Receive a gift. This is exactly what you were created for. Your Nightly Prayer is a daily Christian prayer podcast brought to you by LifeAudio Podcast Network and Crosswalk.com. Each night, the team at Crosswalk.com brings you devotions and prayers to help you end your day with a conversation with God. May these night prayers help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on God’s love as you end your day. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
