The Inner Battle: Natural Man, Shoulder Angels, and Reclaiming Our Divine Core

Written by: Colette G.
For many raised in the Latter-day Saint tradition, the phrase “the natural man is an enemy to God” is among the most familiar—and the most haunting. It often becomes shorthand for the message that our most human impulses are inherently bad, suspect, or in need of constant suppression.

But what if that isn’t the full story? What if the so-called “natural man” isn’t evil at all, but simply undeveloped—a part of us waiting to be nurtured, integrated, and transformed?

This reframing opens the door to a different way of seeing our inner struggles. Instead of living at war with ourselves, we can approach the tension between our impulses and our ideals as a growth opportunity—a chance to reclaim our divine core.

The “Shoulder Angel” Dilemma

Many of us grew up with cartoonish imagery of the good angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. This symbolism, while lighthearted, reinforced a split view of our inner life: one side pure and holy, the other shameful and corrupt.

But this binary doesn’t hold up to human experience. The very instincts that religion often labels as “natural man”—desire, anger, hunger, longing—are also the raw material for empathy, justice, creativity, and love. Desire can evolve into passion for building a better world. Anger can fuel advocacy. Longing can drive us to connect.

The so-called “bad side” isn’t the enemy—it’s the beginning of something that, when guided and integrated, can become sacred.

Integration, Not Suppression

When we shame parts of ourselves, they don’t go away. They hide, distort, and often resurface in destructive ways. True spiritual maturity comes not from silencing our inner impulses but from listening to them with compassion and curiosity.

• Anger might be pointing toward injustice.
  
• Desire might reveal unmet needs for connection or creativity.
  
• Fear might be guarding a vulnerable place that deserves gentleness.
  

When we integrate these parts of ourselves, they stop feeling like enemies and start functioning as allies.

Reclaiming Our Divine Core

The invitation, then, is not to “kill” the natural man but to grow him up—to bring every part of ourselves into alignment with divine love.

Our divine core isn’t fragile or conditional. It is the steady, God-given center within us that cannot be erased by mistakes, impulses, or doubts. When we live from this place, we don’t have to fear our humanity. Instead, we see it as the canvas where divinity is expressed.

Embracing My Whole Self: A Journey from Shame to Empowerment

Growing up in the LDS Faith community, I was taught that emotions outside of love and kindness were not just undesirable—they were wrong. Anger, sadness, frustration—these were signs of weakness or spiritual failure. As a child, I internalized this belief deeply. The only way I knew to cope was to shut down emotionally, burying anything that didn’t fit the mold of “goodness.” I became skilled at pretending, smiling through pain, and convincing myself that I was fine.

The Cost of Emotional Suppression

This emotional suppression came at a high cost. I developed unhealthy coping mechanisms and became afraid to feel anything at all. I was taught that external forces—Satan tempting me to do wrong, or the Holy Spirit guiding me to do right—were in control of my actions. I didn’t believe I had agency. I was a passive participant in my own life, a victim to forces beyond my control.

One scripture haunted me: “The natural man is an enemy to God.” It reinforced the idea that my instincts, my feelings, my humanity were inherently flawed. I lived in fear of my own nature.

Reclaiming My Power Through Psychology and Self-Acceptance

Years later, through deep psychological learning and soul-searching, I began to see things differently. I came to understand that the “natural man” or woman is not an enemy—but a divine being. A beautiful soul striving to grow, to heal, to become whole. I learned that embracing both my light and my shadow was not only healthy—it was necessary.

When I finally allowed myself to feel all my emotions, something miraculous happened. I relaxed. I saw the goodness within me. I forgave myself easily when I stumbled, recognizing that imperfection is part of the human experience. I stopped living by “shoulds” and started living by “cans.” I can choose. I can grow. I can love myself fully.

The Power of Wholeness

There is no shame in being human. There is only power in embracing every part of who we are. When we stop hiding, we start healing. When we stop pretending, we start living. And when we accept ourselves—flaws and all—we unlock a strength that no external force can take away.

Moving from Shame to Growth

If you’ve felt at war with yourself because of the “natural man” narrative, consider this reframe:

• You don’t need to suppress your impulses—you can listen to them.
  
• You don’t need to fear your humanity—you can embrace it.
  
• You don’t need to choose between your “shoulder angel” and “shoulder devil”—you can grow into wholeness where all parts of you are honored.
  

This is what it looks like to reclaim your divine core: not by rejecting parts of yourself, but by integrating them into something fuller, freer, and more authentic.

Final Thought

The inner battle is real—but it’s not a war against evil within us. It’s the ongoing work of growth, compassion, and integration. When we stop shaming the “natural man” and start nurturing our whole selves, we discover that our humanity has always been the pathway back to God.