Quiet the Inner Critic

Charlie Brown, Linus, and Lucy are lying on a hillside looking up at the clouds. Lucy says, “If you use your imagination you can see lots of things in the cloud formations. What do you think you see, Linus?” Linus replies, “Well, those clouds up there look to me like the map of Honduras on the Caribbean . . . .the cloud up there looks a little like the profile of Thomas Eakins, a famous painter and sculptor . . . And that group of clouds over there gives me the impressions of the stoning of Stephen . . . I can see the Apostle Paul standing there to one side.” Lucy responds, “Uh, huh, That’s very good . . . What do you see in the clouds, Charlie Brown?” and Charlie responds, “Well, I was going to say I saw a ducky and a horsy, but I changed my mind.”

I think that there is a little of Charlie Brown in each of us. Some of us are our own worst critics. We too often compare ourselves to others and we are more aware of our weaknesses and imperfections than we are our strengths. And, there are times when we feel inadequate, unequipped or unworthy.

The Reverend King Duncan once made the point that “Those the world called tax collectors, Jesus called disciples. Those called sinners, Jesus called companions. Those scorned as immoral, he called forgiven. Those called common fishermen, he called fishers of men. A crucified thief he called an heir of paradise.”

The truth is, there are no such things as perfect people. And when we compare ourselves to others, we are often not seeing the full picture. We all struggle. We all have imperfections. We all are gifted in our own unique ways. And we all are redeemed only by the grace of God. 

There is a great hymn we sometimes sing in our church, Just As I Am, Without One Plea. The second verse reads: Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come.

I pray today that God would still and quiet the inner critic in us. And may God grant you the grace to accept and love yourself as he has loved and accepted you. 

Let us pray: Loving God, when we feel weak or alone or inadequate break into our lives anew. Grant us a resilient spirit, and a healthy sense of confidence that we might be channels of your grace and love for others. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.