I have an inner critic. It hisses in my ear when I’m doing well, mocks my efforts and tells me I may as well give up now and become a hermit who lives in the woods, collecting berries and communing with squirrels. It gives me an even worse time when I’m doing poorly, playing the old record about how I’m useless and unloveable and no one will ever want me. Its broken record of condemnation makes the hermit fantasy look mighty attractive.
You might be familiar with the voice of the inner critic. The effects of this voice can be demoralising, debilitating and depressing. (How do you like my alliteration? Always use three things that start with the same letter, they told me.) And once it starts singing the old song of condemnation, it can be hard to shut down.
Perfectionism has had me living under the black cloud of condemnation my whole life. Perfectionism is a particularly nasty strain of inner critic that tells me scathing things like ‘You could have done that better’ or ‘You should have done that faster,’ even when I have just achieved something stupendous. It’s a dart to the heart. The Perfectionist is never satisfied.
That’s why, for recovering perfectionists like me, Easter brings us particularly good tidings. When he died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead, Jesus absorbed all our condemnation, everything we missed or forgot or could have done better or faster or sooner. He gave us complete pardon.
It says in Romans 8:1-2 Jesus has freed us from the burden of the inner critic and the tyranny of the Perfectionist (okay, I’m paraphrasing, but check out the verse):
‘Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit, who gives life, has set you free from the law of sin and death.’ (NIV)
I like the way the Message bible puts it too:
‘With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.’
Regardless of our walk of life, social status, material success (or lack thereof), gender, mental state, skin colour, hairstyle, personality or spiritual temperature, there is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus. He has made us truly free.
There is no condemnation for those who are sitting pretty.
There is no condemnation for those who are struggling.
There is no condemnation for the lost or the broken.
There is no condemnation for any of God’s children.
Hear that new record playing? That’s the song of freedom.
Do you live with condemnation? How do the voices of the inner critic or the perfectionist affect you? How does Jesus’ sacrifice change that? Share your story. Let’s have a countercultural conversation.
Guess what? That’s not all! This blog has been part of an Omega Writer’s synchroblog, where my writer friends and I have joined forces to bring you more of the good stuff (like Captain Planet, for anyone who was around in the 80s). To read these other writers’ Easter blogs, click on the links below:
A Truly Good Friday by Jo-Anne Berthelsen
No Updates Required: The Unchanging Hope of Easter by Christine Wood
Recognition by Tamara Harpford
A Seat at the King’s Table by Susan Barnes
Discover more from Steph Penny's Writing
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Thanks Steph for reminding me about silencing the inner critic, and that doing so is part of accepting the risen Jesus! How about I join you in the woods, but only because we get to do it out of freedom to explore.
Much as I would love your company in the woods, the point of withdrawing from the world is to withdraw from everyone, so I’m not sure how that would work…maybe we could reside at opposite ends of the woods?! Anyway, yes, Jesus is risen and the Critic no longer has any jurisdiction here!
Yes, Tamika! The inner critic has outstayed its welcome and the lease has expired!
Hmmm, the inner critic… I’m very familiar with that character inside my head… so glad that Jesus has actually brought me freedom – thanks for the reminder that the inner critic needs to be kicked out!!
Yes! In Christ, we can replace the voice of our inner critic with the voice of the One who loves us and died for us. What a wonderful gift. Thank you for your thoughtful Easter reflection.
Thanks Christine! That voice of love and sacrifice is a voice that is foreign for many of us, especially if we’ve grown up with criticism. It can take a long time before we believe Jesus truly loves us. But he does. He really does love us.
I’m also a recovering perfectionist who has learnt and is learning not to pay attention to my inner critic by reminding myself how God sees me. And since he is the God of truth, his view is the accurate one, mine is not. Jesus’ sacrifice has total changed the way I see myself and I’m so grateful for his death and resurrection. Blessings
It’s so good to hear about your experience, Susan, and how God’s view of you has displaced that nasty voice of the Inner Critic. I’m grateful with you and for you!
Thanks, Steph, for your lovely, honest post, as always. Glad you haven’t resorted to being a hermit in the woods though, picking berries and communing with squirrels – even though that’s a great, evocative image! Yes, as a seasoned perfectionist, I definitely know that condemning voice that speaks all sorts of negative messages into my heart and mind – or tries to at least. But for me, it’s such a relief to be able to rest back in Jesus’ arms, as it were, know deep in my heart that he loves and accepts me in all my messiness and insecurity, and step out in the strength I find there to do what he has called me to do. That’s an amazing ‘song of freedom’ and of no condemnation, for sure, as your point out so well. God bless!
Thanks for sharing about your experience, Jo-Anne – both about recovering from perfectionism (yay, it’s possible!) and about resting in the strong, secure arms of Jesus. I’m so glad we belong to him.