The Cost Of A Critical Attitude (3)

Miriam... began to talk against Moses... and the LORD heard this. - Numbers 12:1-2 NIV
While a critical attitude doesn't destroy your relationship with God, it certainly hurts your capacity to enjoy His love and presence. Miriam and Aaron started out criticizing their brother
Moses, and ended up feeling the consequences most in their relationship with God. Why? Because God pays attention to the way we treat each other!

"But why does God make such a big deal of this?" you ask. Because when you choose to sin you choose to suffer! Everything God classifies as sin is injurious to you - everything. When God says, "Don't" what He really means is "Don't hurt yourself." When He says, "Don't criticize," He's not trying to deprive you of satisfaction. No, He's saying, "Having a critical attitude goes against the nature of who I've made you to be. Fish were made to swim, birds were made to fly, and you were made to live in fellowship with Me. A critical spirit hinders that fellowship."

Even people who don't claim to be particularly religious are observing the negative effects of criticism upon each of us. Doctor David Fink, author of Release >From Nervous Tension, studied thousands of mentally and emotionally disturbed people. He observed two groups: the stressed-out group and the stress-free group. Gradually one fact began to emerge. The stressed-out group members were habitual faultfinders and constant critics of people and things around them. The stress-free group members were loving and accepting of others. No doubt about it, the habit of criticizing is a self-destructive way to live.