Three choices when we are criticized or accused

Someone once told me there are two types of ministries before the throne of God: Jesus’ ministry of intercession (Rom. 8:34), and Satan’s “ministry” of accusation (Rev. 12:10). As believers, we must extend Jesus’ ministry of intercession to others and know how to handle accusations that may come against us. I have learned that when I am criticized or accused, I have three choices. (1) I can simply disregard and throw out the entire criticism and never think of it again. (2) I can dwell on it and rehash it and mentally defend myself again and again. (3) I can prayerfully examine the criticism and discover the one or two percent of truth in the criticism, and use it as an impetus for change and improvement. God will show us if a criticism or accusation is valid. It has been my experience that even when receiving criticism that is clearly loaded with false charges and nonsense, there is frequently an underlying element of truth that I need to deal with. And let’s guard our hearts, so that we are modeling Jesus’ ministry of intercession, and not Satan’s “ministry” of accusation.