This Woman Went One Day Without Saying Anything Critical… And Something Amazing Happened!

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. Romans 14:13

It’s so easy to nitpick. To find fault in anything. Do you find yourself having negative thoughts all too often? Are you starting to think you might just be a little too judgmental? See how a woman who felt that way made a big change in her life and how that could work for you!

Catherine Marshall tells of the time she decided to do a one-day experiment. Oh, it really was an eye-opener for her. You see, she had a problem common to most of us. She found it too easy to be critical of others. Well, one morning as she meditated on Romans 14, she became aware of the Lord nudging her to not be critical for one day.

Of course she tried to shove it off. But she couldn’t get it out of her mind. So she tried to rationalize her critical attitude. After all, aren’t we to use the intelligence God gave us to analyze and evaluate—even though the results is not always positive? The nudging continued right through the debate going on in her mind until she finally agreed to give the experiment a try—but just for the one day would she fast from criticism.

Through most of the morning she kept wondering what the result would be at the end of the day. The lunch with her husband and friends was normal except for the unusual silence of one person—Catherine. She had not committed to silence, just to not criticizing. It surprised her to realize how much of her conversation was usually critical and judgmental. She was silent only because she couldn’t contribute to the conversation without judging. So, she kept quiet and no one seemed to notice. A sting to the pride as well.

At day’s end she marveled at all that had transpired simply because she refused to entertain a critical attitude. A letter to encourage a friend, insight into praying for a college student, seeking her child’s forgiveness, all filtered through her freely because there was no negative thoughts to stop them.

Catherine’s one-day experiment became a lifetime habit. What about yours

– Marilyn K. McAuley