Overcoming a Critical Spirit

As we drag ourselves out of the year 2020 many of us have not come out of it unscathed. The fears brought on by Covid, the nastiness in the political world, the racial divisions, added to our own personal difficulties seems to have coated our spirit. We may have entered the new year with a layer of cynicism and negativity. How do we overcome this critical spirit?

God’s Word is like those machines that certain hospitals purchased that destroys any viruses in the air. The first biblical truth that can help us overcome that critical spirit is to realize that God is still good. Exodus 34:6 declares: “And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth”. God is good despite the circumstances that we may have encountered this year. As we meditate on His acts of mercy and showers of blessings we can feel our cynicism leaving us. Another biblical principle that can irradiate our negativity is the fact that God is still in charge. Psalm 115:3 reminds us: “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases”. Not one of the unbelievable events that happen this past year are out of His sovereign control. Charles Spurgeon once wrote: “When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head”. God is still faithful. God will accomplish everything that He has promised to His children. Even when the government does not come through for us, when the economy fails, and elections have undesirable consequences our great and glorious God will always be faithful. In this past year have you caught yourself asking the question: “where is God in all of this”? The Bible teaches us plainly that in every situation God is still at work. Throughout the biblical narrative God was still at work when Joseph was languishing in prison, when Job was scratching his boils with a broken piece of pottery, and when Ruth was gleaning leftover grain in the fields.

Allow the powerful truths of scripture to blast away every negative and critical virus. Let’s never forget that God is still good, He is still in charge, He is still faithful, and he is still at work in every situation.