Shoo! You're a pest! Shoo!

You have one. We all have one. Some are louder than others, some are better controlled, but regardless if heard in a mild or strong voice the fact remains - they are annoying. You know it. I know it. It’s the incessant chatter of the inner critic. Don’t confuse it. It’s not the voice of common sense. Common sense is there for positive effect. It’s a gentle reminder to check your footing before your next step. This voice is opposite. Always. This voice will paralyze you from even considering taking a step. You might get to a point where you decide to take a shaky step forward and then this voice will be quick to trip you in the process. It’s never helpful. It’s the negative, destructive, counter productive inner critic. It’s objective? To snuff out dreams, encourage us not to try, shout lies to fill your mind, and leave you questioning everything good about yourself. It has a memory that only recalls every negative ever said about you. It forgets nothing derrogatory about you. This voice can speak so loud it’s all you hear and you are deafened to anything else. The inner critic. There is nothing positive that comes from it. It’s goals you may recall from another: to steal, kill, and destroy. Sound familiar? Given a moment of your attention it can steal your opportunities, kill your dreams, and destroy your self worth and any happiness you could have or that you could give. You would think we would recognize its goals and and tune out this voice. Give it no merit. But we don’t. We give it attention that it doesn’t deserve and often crumble our dreams in its presence. We give up before we even try. We give it leadership in our lives when really we should be countering it with truth. We should be thinking on what is true… honorable…fair…. pure… acceptable… commendable… praiseworthy… oh wait. Do these words sound familiar as well? They should. Are we following the wrong leader by listening to our inner critic? Ashamedly I often do. To be honest I’d never really thought of it as a spiritual battle before. But it is. Do we listen to slimy hisses of the “serpent”… or do we listen to the soft gentle encouraging voice of God? Do we accept the lies or do we accept the truth? Do we follow the destroyer or the Creator? The critic or the Master Artist? Who has our attention when we want to try new things, explore our talents, expand our joy?

Our women’s writing group, Reflective Souls, gave us a writing prompt for an activity. The prompt was to write a letter to our inner critic. This activity was what made me really think about the origins of the inner critic. There really is nothing good that ever results from it. Now that I’m aware of this and pulled off the mask from the unseen face I see it for all it’s naked value. None. It has no value or worth to me. For this reason do not expect a pleasant letter to follow. It deserves no courteousness and certainly no more attention. What about your inner critic? Is it time to pull the blinders off and see it in it’s true worthless form? Write a letter to your inner critic. Let’s speak louder and put the critic in the backseat for a change.

Letter to my inner critic:

You energy-sapping, whiny, destructive little pest! I recognize you now for who you are. You are NOTHING! How dare you tell me all the things I cannot do. All the dreams I cannot obtain. All the ways that I will fail. You liar!! I can’t believe that I’ve listened to you for so many years. Why did I even give you a second of my attention!? Why did I give you such power and control over my life?! I couldn’t see you for what you are: a worthless slime-ball with nothing to offer. You are a life-sucking, anxiety-producing, kill-joy. I offer no apologies for my despise of you. How many things could have been accomplished if I had paid no attention to your voice in the past? Who could I have helped? What could I have done?

Now I know. Now I know better. As of today you hold me captive no longer. I don’t want to hear your voice any more. When you speak you will be talking to the hand! I have no time for you. You don’t deserve a second of attention. You can talk but you won’t be heard. I have another voice. A true voice that I can follow. You spoke so loud before I couldn’t hear it. I thought I was listening to truth. But now I know better. You are a thief. You are a liar. You are a destroyer. You are a botherson, sniveling, conniving, wicked, annoyance. You are welcome no longer. You have no place here. You have no value and no worth any longer. You’ve been found out and you don’t belong here any more. Shoo away pest! Shoo!! It is what I will tell you from now on whenever I hear your voice: “Shoo! You’re a pest! Shoo!”


John 10:10-11
"Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy; I came to give life and give it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."
-Jesus

Phil 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is fair, whatever is pure, whatever is acceptable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything of excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy-keep thinking about these things.