Day Forty-three

“Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.” (Neh. 4:4)

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 4:1–6

The enemy will do virtually anything to steal our focus as we serve Christ. In his attempts, he often sends something more powerful than an outbreak of boils. He sends criticism, and he never lacks a willing vessel. The world is filled with amateur critics. Satan just instructs them to do what comes naturally.

God appointed Nehemiah to lead the Jews in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. At the first sign of success, critics raised their ugly heads. Their criticism came in the form of ridicule. Nothing makes you want to quit as much as feeling stupid. The enemy preyed on their hidden fears that the task might be too much for them.

Have you ever been there? I have! The moment someone spoke my fears, my heart nearly melted. Soon I thought the task was never God’s idea in the first place. Many times I might have given up in despair, but God kept reconfirming His will.

If we successfully accomplish our God-given tasks, we must learn to deal with criticism. Nehemiah was a wise man. He knew exactly how to deal with his critics. He told God about them. Look at his words. You even have my permission to grin a little.

Nehemiah went straight to God and said things like, “Turn their insults back on their own heads.” We said the same sort of things when we were kids—we just used a little different terminology: “Same to you but more of it!”

Nehemiah didn’t direct his statements to his critics, however. He shared his feelings with God. He poured out his heart until he felt better. The result? “So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.”

The enemy’s attempt to steal our focus is actually an attempt to remove our hearts from our God-given tasks. The center of our focus fills our hearts. If we’re focused on criticism and the subsequent feelings of bitterness and inferiority, our hearts will give up the task. Our effectiveness will suffer terribly. Today’s Bible example offers a new defense to Satan’s better-than-boils strategy. I call the defense “operation tattletale.”

When you’re working with all your heart to accomplish God’s will and the enemy throws criticism your way, take it to God immediately. He will take up your cause and return your heart and your focus to the task.

A last thought. Is all criticism from Satan? Unfortunately no. How can we know whether or not a criticism is from the enemy? Satan is the father of lies. His criticism will be untrue. If the criticism fits, DON’T QUIT! Just readjust. (I’ve been there, too.) If you know God has called you to the task, you may be laying the right bricks—but at the wrong angle. God won’t leave us stranded with an armload of bricks. Go ahead and unload—then get your heart back in your task.