5 Steps To Overcoming A Critical Spirit

2. Get To The Heart Of The Matter

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. Those who are often critical feel that everyone is lacking, including themselves. 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.

3. Think on What is True

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. 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).