Don't allow critics to take away your joy.

Don't allow critics to take away your joy."Justice is a joy to the godly, but it causes dismay among evildoers." Proverbs 21:15Some of us cannot enjoy life because we are afraid of what others will think. The chronic critics will never accomplish what God requires of them, and neither will you, if you listen to them and not the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Don't let others advise and second-guess you out of God's very best for you! I don't know about you, but I would rather have the blessing of God and the ridicule of my critics than to have the blessing of my critics and the ridicule of God. When you do what is right, it will be a joy to you, but it will also enrage the critics.1 Chronicles 15:29 says, "And as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out the window, and saw King David dancing and making merry; and she despised him in her heart." What's especially bad is when your friends or family members are the critics who want to make you as miserable as they are. One definition of a critic is someone who is miserable only because you are happy. Don't let critics steal your joy! After a church service on Sunday morning, a young boy suddenly announced to his mother that he was going to surrender his life to the call of God, "Mom, I've decided to become a minister when I grow up." The mother was overjoyed with excitement. Had he heard the voice of God? Had he seen a glorious vision of God's presence? The mother said, "That's okay with us, but what made you decide that?" The little boy said, "Well, I have to go to church on Sunday anyway, and I figure it would be more fun to stand up and yell at people, than to sit and listen." You know, I have so much fun and so much joy every Sunday because I can stand up and "yell" at people--preach the Word of God--but it should also be such a great joy to worship God every Sunday in a way that God leads you. You may not get to stand up and yell at people, but we can all make a joyful noise to the Lord. Don't let anyone take away your joy!