Many are familiar with the passage in Paul's letter to the church of Ephesus when he wrote, "we wrestle not against flesh and blood." This verse comes to us as a part of Paul's writing on spiritual warfare - the struggle that we all have within us between good and evil. So often we think in terms of external forces, shadows of the Evil One seeking to harm us. While this is true, the Devil does prowl around like a lion seeking those whom he might destroy, sometimes it is the internal wrestling which defeats us most easily.
On my wall I have a printed copy of "The Man In The Arena", an excerpt from a speech delivered by President Teddy Roosevelt in 1910. It serves as a reminder that there is value and joy in the effort, even if that effort is not accepted or appreciated. The text reads:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Again, the implied threat is an outward offender - another person other than ourselves who might be our critic. Too often this is true. In the church as much as it is in the world as a whole. Although I believe these same traits can be applied to our own inner super-ego. That part of us that seeks perfection, order, and coldly evaluates our own internal efforts. Paul tells us in Galatians 5:15,"if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another." Too often our own thoughts seek to consume us. They bite and devour us in a series of negative evaluations.
Thankfully we have answers to this self-destruction. Answers for the critic who wishes to point out our errors and second guesses our actions.
1. Recognize that failure is possible. Paul admits in Philippians 3:12 that he has not obtained his goal - he is not perfect. In Romans chapter 7 he tells us that he does the things he does not want to do and does not do the things he wants to do. Hardly the model of perfection. This does not mean we seek failure, Romans 6:1 tells us not to, but it does remind us that we are not yet perfect.
2. Do not quit. The biblical term for this is perseverance. Paul continues in Philippians 3 that he presses on towards the goal. He knows that Christ has taken hold of him and that Jesus will not give up on him. In fact, Paul told the Philippians this in chapter 1 when he wrote, "I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished." Jesus promised in Matthew 24:13 that "the one who perseveres to the end will be saved." There is victory in the end!
3. Discipline is key. Paul instructs us in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27, therefore do not run like someone running aimlessly; do not fight like a boxer beating the air. but subdue your mind and body to have ownership over them. When the internal critic sneers and jests, mocking us, belittling us, we must be like the athlete who trains for the competition - practice, practice, practice. Daily bible study, worship, and engagement with other believers helps us prepare for the coming battle. We win and lose long before the challenge begins. Long before the trophy is hoisted, the medal claimed, or record set, the athlete spends long periods of times in the solitude of training.
Do not be like those poor timid souls who idly sit by and do nothing but complain! This challenge is for that part of your mind that wants to sit in the balcony like the two old puppets in the Muppet Show - critics who never added value but sought to detract. Oh, have no misconceptions, that naysayer the internal critic will peek out its ugly head from time to time, but we cannot listen to it! We must be like Paul and press on towards the goal - to complete the "good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" Ephesians 2:10. Along the way we may be marred with dust and sweat, achieving small wins and experiencing set backs along the way, but we will be alive! Alive in Christ and longing for the day when final victory is ours! So do not let that "you" that lives inside your mind count you out.
[by Pastor Jason Davis]
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