There has been much talk lately about our enemies. That got me thinking about whether we are our own worst enemies. I googled “own worst enemy” and came up with a television series which aired for only 9 episodes in 2008 and a Bruce Springsteen song. Frankly, I didn’t get much inspiration from either.
I even found an article asking “Are you your own worst enemy” which listed seven “bombs” with which we blow ourselves up.
I did find these helpful:
1. Procrastination
I know this is one example of how I’m my own worst enemy. I don’t get things done unless I face a deadline. I’ve kind of learned that the secret here is to establish deadlines for yourself in those matters which have no external deadlines. That seems to help. Look around at the unfinished projects in your life. For each, either set a deadline for finishing or scrap them. Don’t put this off that would be procrastinating procrastination.
2. Loose fact-itis
I guess we have all been guilty of this one. It usually happens when we a struggling to make a point and we “come up with” a fact to support our position, which we know, deep inside, isn’t really a fact but should be. It’s like the kid who says, “I’ve told you that a billion times.” Sadly, you see this happen in ministry when a story of God’s grace gets exaggerated to make the story “better.” Problem is we now have a story claiming God’s miraculous intervention which isn’t true. This is not good. It’s probably never a good idea to try to improve on our accomplishments or the work of God.
I guess we have all been guilty of this one. It usually happens when we a struggling to make a point and we “come up with” a fact to support our position, which we know, deep inside, isn’t really a fact but should be. It’s like the kid who says, “I’ve told you that a billion times.” Sadly, you see this happen in ministry when a story of God’s grace gets exaggerated to make the story “better.” Problem is we now have a story claiming God’s miraculous intervention which isn’t true. This is not good. It’s probably never a good idea to try to improve on our accomplishments or the work of God.
3. Hardness of listening
Haven’t you had the experience of listening to someone and, in your head, you start planning your “one up” response story; often missing the really point of what the person is saying. Then you get blank stares when you finally get a chance to spin your one up story, because, since you weren’t listening, you missed the point. There is no greater honor you can give another than to listen to them and no quicker way to get into trouble than to act without completely listening.
4. Under-truthfulness I’m not talking about lying, I’m talking about failing to tell someone the hard truth they need to hear. Some folks are brutally honest; telling “truths” that don’t need to be told. But just as bad, perhaps worse, is failing to speak up when an untruth lies out there unchallenged. By doing so we upgrade an untruth to truth.
5. Over-truthfulness This is the flip side of number 4. You know you’ve done it when you feel your foot slip into your mouth, the person you’re speaking to has a hurt expression and you find yourself saying, “but it’s the truth.” It’s a hard lesson for some people to learn that not all truth needs to be spoken at every occasion. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us as to how much truth is needed in any situation.
6 Rampant distemper
Some folks seem to be always angry about everything. Some of these folks really are angry and others just always seem to be angry. Folks won’t communication truthfully with you if a blow up is always a couple of words away. This is where focusing on the positive and learning to count to ten before responding comes in handy.
7. Bad credit/blame management
Everyone wants credit; no one wants blame. This problem can be solved with honesty. Almost anything good happens because of God; for almost anything bad that happens there is plenty enough blame to go around. People instinctively know where responsibility for results lies. No one has appointed us as score keeper. It always works to “give God the glory.”
Everyone wants credit; no one wants blame. This problem can be solved with honesty. Almost anything good happens because of God; for almost anything bad that happens there is plenty enough blame to go around. People instinctively know where responsibility for results lies. No one has appointed us as score keeper. It always works to “give God the glory.”
After a review of the above, I must conclude that sometimes (maybe lots of times) I am my own worst enemy. It’s truly amazing that God still loves me.
How about you?
Nick
Amen!