One of my goals this year is to reflect on where I saw God’s love + mercy at the end of each day. I have done this approximately zero times, and we’re three weeks into the new year.
Maybe you and I are in the same boat: you set intentions and new habits yet you’ve already fallen short of what you want to achieve. You’ve gone to the gym sporadically. You’ve yelled at your kids the same amount. You’ve opened your Bible 50% less than you planned.
And your inner critic is having a hey day.
Our inner critic loves when we believe three lies as we find ourselves coming up short in our goals.
Which lie is most common for you to hear?
Failure is not an option.
Your inner critic loves to tell you that you’re not allowed to fail, that you must do everything – including new things – perfectly.
You define “failure” as not meeting expectations. You’ve failed when you did what you promised you wouldn’t or when you didn’t do what you said you would. So… if you said that you’d be more kind every day for 365 days straight, and you already yelled at your husband day 12, well then, you’ve failed.
You’ve already failed so give up.
Your inner critic loves to remind you of your “failures” and then subtly suggests that you give up. What’s the point anyway?
You believe that unless something is executed flawlessly then there’s no real point in continuing. So… if you said that you’d read three books a month and you haven’t even started one, there’s no point in learning anyway.
You’re a loser and you’ll never succeed.
Your inner critic loves to throw out the word “loser” or play the comparison game: seeing how you measure up to others who seem to be breezing through their goals. That little voice in your head tells you that success is meant for everyone but you.
You believe that you’re a loser who totally failed and you’re only a few weeks into the new year. So… if you said that you’d finally join a small group, but haven’t made one meeting, you’re a jerk and a loser, and who would want to hang out with you anyway?
Our inner critic is a liar, but our God tells us the truth with grace.
Sweet friend, I hope as you read the lies above, you see how none of that is true and how ridiculous they sound when we bring our deep beliefs into the light.
Here’s the God-given graceful truth:
God’s path for you includes success and failure.
Only God is perfect, and you, sweet friend, are not God. God will direct your path and your footsteps. Some of your life will look like a valley in the shadow of death and some of it will look like a table prepared for a feast. God designed you for both.
You’re allowed to fail and succeed. There’s room for both in God’s kingdom, and your “failures” don’t deter God’s plans for your life.
God calls you to trust and not despair.
God knows that you’ll make mistakes, that life won’t go how you have personally plotted out, and that you won’t be able to do everything on your agenda for the day. He knows and He’s okay with that.
Why? Because God is more interested in you conforming more and more into the image of His Son than He is about whether you’ve completed your checklist for the day. Don’t despair when you fail to accomplish what you thought you would. Never give up on partnering with Christ to look more and more like Him.
God is just crazy about you.
God loves you so much. He is with you and He is for you. He’ll never forsake you and He’s got a plan for you. He alone is trustworthy.
But I bet you’ve heard that 1,001 times, you nod in agreement, and go back to feeling like the loser your inner critic tells you you are.
So here’s the hard truth: at some point though, you have to decide who you believe.
You must choose to trust what your all-perfect God whispers to your heart about who you are or you default to believing what your sniveling, petty inner critic yells in your ear.
This is called working out your salvation: it’s where the battle for your heart is won or lost, and it’s hard. When in doubt, choose who God says you are.
Friends, your inner critic wants to pummel your heart and your God wants to make it His.
Your inner critic is hard to tune out, but she is not your friend. God is your friend who always speaks truth to you with love and grace. What would it look like to tune out your negative inner critic to tune into your loving God?
The truth is you don’t have to listen to your inner critic for one more minute.
You can participate in this FREE 5-day Inner Critic Challenge OR you can get your own prayer e-book filled with 20 prayers to lower the volume on your inner critic.
Whether you’re like me and you’re 0–21 on your goals or if you’re crushing it, your inner critic always comments on what you’re doing. You don’t have to believe a word she says. Instead, listen to the God of grace and truth who loves you so.
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