So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
We all have had the experience of being called down and criticized. For some, this was or still may be a daily occurrence. It is vital that you do not tolerate being hurt in this way.
You may think that you can handle it and you know better than to believe what they say. After all, sticks and stones can break my bones but names can’t hurt, right?
Actually, repeatedly hearing anything over time has a profound effect on our internal beliefs. If you tolerate verbal abuse and say nothing, you are internally agreeing with what is being said. Over time, this will cause you to believe it yourself. Your self-esteem will plummet, at which point you will need strength from God and help from others to stand up for yourself and do what you need to do to stop the abuse.
Romans 10:17 demonstrates how effective repetition is at altering our beliefs. Hearing and hearing God’s Word changes what you believe about yourself, whether verbally through messages that teach about God’s Word, or through reading the Bible and meditating on it.
If you are tolerating verbally abusive behaviour, don’t wait any longer. Stop the cycle. God will empower you to be strong because healthy boundaries not only benefit you but the person who tries to step over them. Allowing someone to constantly call you down or criticize you does nothing to help that person; it only hurts everyone involved. Pray for strength and get help today.