It Has Movie & Song References, But It is About God…I Promise

I shared last week about my strategy to keep my mind stayed on God. After that post, someone asked me if fear and anxiety go away for good when I use this strategy. I so wanted to say yes. Honestly, I secretly wish I could have one final drawn out, knuckle busting, teeth crashing fight with fear and anxiety and have that be the end of it . I would love to see them leave my life forever and never come back.

Leave and never come back…that reminds me. I love the scene in Lord of the Rings when Smeagol fights with his own fear and anxiety (we’ll call it an inner critic). That scene is incredibly relatable to my life. Smeagol feels acceptance for the first time in his life. It feels good and during a moment of courage and bravery, Smeagol tells his inner critic to leave and never come back. He has to do it a few times, but eventually it works. I remember celebrating with  him when he realized his critic went quiet.

Unfortunately, if you’ve watched the movies you know the critic will return. He will return and the critic will win.

Friends, we all have a critic that lives in our thoughts and mind. We all have a critic that show up to cast fear, doubt, and anxiety into any situation. It is the voice constantly whispering in our ear about how flawed we are. It is the voice reminding us of our failures and shortcomings and how we will never be good enough.

Now, psychology professionals call it an inner critic. They suggest that its origins are found in a childhood that contains traumatic experiences. If there was trauma in your childhood it may sound like the one who hurt you. However, I believe we all have a critic and I believe its origins are much older than our childhoods.

The Bible calls this critic the accuser of the brethren…who accuses them day and night. Easter Sunday was not too long ago and I pray you know that on Easter we celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross to purchase the rights to our souls. He was buried and then three days later He rose with the rights to our souls and the rights to rescue us from the plans of death and destruction that Satan has for us. If we choose to accept Jesus ownership of our lives and submit to His kingship in our lives we are rescued.

Satan does not want this. He does not want us to be rescued and he will stop at nothing to keep us under his control. He will whisper lies to us. He will remind us of our flaws and failures. He will work to convince us we will never be good enough.  His desire is to fill us with fear and anxiety and paralyze us. If we are paralyzed we will not reach out to God for help. This is his strategy. So it does not end, but we do grow stronger and braver through God’s love and Holy Spirit power.

So, what do you do now?

1. Learn to identify God’s voice and the voice of your accuser. I am always going to promote daily reading of the Bible. It has been a gamechanger for my life and battle against fear and anxiety. It is the best way to get to know God’s voice. As you read stories about His history and His nature you will begin to grow familiar with Him. Two things I know about God through Bible-reading. One, He is good and faithful. Two, His steadfast love endures forever. So if you’re hearing accusations that you are unloved, worthless, a lost cause, without value, or unwanted that is your accuser. It is a lie.
2. Shut down the accuser. When you begin to identify the accuser trying to throw shade at you, shut it down. Tell him to shut up. Tell him to get out. Tell him no one cares about what he has to say. Tell him he is a liar. If you have to get loud about it do it. So what if people think you’re crazy, they might think that anyway. Who cares?! Shut it down. Remind yourself that God is good and faithful. Remind yourself that God’s steadfast love endures forever. Remind yourself that Jesus dies on the cross for your sin and purchased the rights to your soul. Then ask that accuser, in Janet Jackson form, what have you done for me lately? Other than twist me up in knots. Go Paula Abdul on his @$$ and remind him he is a cold-hearted snake, he’s been telling lies.

Friends, we do not have to live with this accuser/critic/liar/cold-hearted snake. God wants to free us from his control and bring us into His love and freedom. Let God love you like Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam…from Head to Toe! I know the 90s songs references got away from me there, but you get what I’m saying, right? Please tell me you’re getting it because that is the point of my writing…to help you find God and live free in His love.