evident. Someone with a critical spirit is prone to complaining,
seeing the glass as half-empty, ruing unmet expectations, sensing
failure (in others more than in oneself), and being judgmental.
Critical spirits are no fun to be around; neither are they fun to
possess.
As with most sin, having a critical spirit is a perversion of
something God made to be good—in this case, a longing for God and His
perfection. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "[God] has made everything
beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet
so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the
end." We live in a fallen world, and we are often impatient to enter
into the glorious perfection for which we were originally created. In
a sense, it is good that we can see what's lacking in this world;
after all, the world is not as it should be, nor are we as we should
be. Recognizing the world's insufficiency helps us to acknowledge our
need of a Savior. But having a critical spirit can blind us to the
grace and beauty that God continues to bestow every day. A critical
spirit can also be seen as a perversion of discernment. Often, those
accused of having a critical spirit make valid points. They just make
their points in an unpalatable manner.
Obviously, critical spirits are destructive, tearing down both the
recipient and the giver of the criticisms (Galatians 5:14-15). The
Bible speaks against such critical judgment. In Matthew 7:1-2 Jesus
says, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you
pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be
measured to you." Jesus is not saying that we should not be discerning
or that we should ignore the fallen nature of the world. He is also
not saying that we must never, under any circumstance, criticize
anyone else. In fact, the Bible tells us that we are to judge rightly
(John 7:24). However, we are not to criticize with malicious intent or
out of pride, hypocrisy, or self-righteousness. We cannot assume that
we are impartial or that we can fairly exact our standards on others.
Humans have naturally deceitful hearts (Jeremiah 17:9) that allow for
blind spots and inappropriate comparisons. Only God can judge with
perfect accuracy (Hebrews 4:12; James 4:11-12; 1 Samuel 16:7; 1
Chronicles 28:9; Isaiah 11:4; Revelation 19:11). And our discernment
is only valid when it is informed by a renewed nature in Christ (2
Corinthians 2:14-16; John 16:13). Only when we are submitted to Christ
and honest with ourselves will our judgment serve to edify rather than
destroy.
So how do we overcome a critical spirit? The condition of our heart is
crucial. Luke 6:45 says, "The good person out of the good treasure of
his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure
produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth
speaks." Critical words spring from a critical heart. And a critical
heart generally comes from a misunderstanding of God's grace—either
due to pride or a simple lack of information about God's character and
the meaning of salvation. Only when we understand our depravity apart
from God and the depth of His grace will we be able to bestow grace to
others (Romans 3:23; 6:23; Colossians 2:13-15; Ephesians 2:1-10).
Those who struggle with a critical spirit know that they can never
live up to their own standards. They are constantly judging others and
themselves and always coming up lacking. But Christ fills this lack!
He is perfect and righteous, and He freely grants that righteousness
to those who believe in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). The better we
understand God's grace, the more gracious we will be with others (1
Peter 2:1-3). And the more grateful we will be. The giving of thanks
is a strong antidote to a critical spirit.
Another important area is our thought lives (Romans 12:1-2; 2
Corinthians 10:5). Rather than focus on what is missing, we should
think about what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable,
excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). This is not to say that
we should ignore falsehood, injustice, ugliness, or imperfection.
However, we should not dwell on the negatives. Paul instructed the
Ephesians regarding this, "We are to grow up in every way into him who
is the head, into Christ . . . so that [the body] builds itself up in
love. . . . Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only
such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may
give grace to those who hear. . . . Let all bitterness and wrath and
anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all
malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:15-16, 29, 31-32). Sure,
things could be better than they are, but love covers many sins
(Proverbs 10:12). Forgiveness is a priority. As the Body of Christ, we
speak out of a heart of love in order to build each other up. A
critical spirit only serves to tear down (Ephesians 4:1-3; Galatians
6:1-5).
It can also be helpful to remind ourselves that we do not know the
thoughts and intentions of others. At times, behavior reflects
motivation, but not always. Before making a critical remark (whether
aloud or to ourselves), we should pause and consider other
possibilities. Is this person truly an uncaring jerk, or is he perhaps
going through a difficult situation and in need of grace? The Golden
Rule is a very helpful tool.
A critical spirit tears down those around us and robs us of our own
ability to enjoy life. When we become overly critical, we miss out on
the beauty that God has placed in this world. Small blessings go
unnoticed, and we stop being thankful. Overcoming a critical spirit
requires gratefulness, a willingness to forgive, an accurate
understanding of God's grace (it's free!), an intentional refocusing
of our thoughts, and a commitment to share the truth in love.
Overcoming a critical spirit is a matter of sanctification, and we
have the Holy Spirit's help with that (2 Thessalonians 2:13). As we
submit to God, read His Word, and pray for grace, we will find that
the critical spirit gives up control to the Holy Spirit of Christ.
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