A Critical Spirit

One of the things that each and every Christian must strive to avoid is having a critical spirit. There is a big difference between constructive criticism and being critical. Constructive criticism is generally done out of a loving heart from someone that is seeking the best for you, however, the critical spirit is only meant to tear down, shame, or condemn others.

The Word of God warns against having a critical spirit in the form of wrongful judging of others:

Romans 14:10-12 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

If we aren’t careful we will find ourselves guilty of being critical of those that do things differently than we do them.  Many times, we criticize those that worship differently than we do, not because what they are doing is heretical or unbiblical, but because it’s not our preference or the way we were taught. So, instead of praying for them and lifting up our brother, we criticize them and condemn them. This is having a critical sprit.

Some things that cause us to have a critical spirit are; immaturity, lack of spiritual depth, not walking in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, being insecure, and feeling unsuccessful. These things can build up inside of us cause us to become unloving and critical of others.

Often times we do not even notice that we have become a critical spirit but others recognize it right away.  It often takes a friend or a loved one to say something to those being critical in order for them to realize what they are doing. Thank the LORD there is a way to overcome a critical spirit and it is also found in the Word of God:

Ephesians 4:23-32

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Perhaps you have a critical spirit and that is the reason you have read this post. I encourage you to read over the words from the Scripture again and meditate upon them and pray to the LORD and ask Him to help you overcome this critical spirit in your life.  If you would like me to pray for you, please send me an email and I would be thrilled to bring your name up before the LORD when I pray. ~ Pastor Byron