Friday, November 04, 2011

The Power Of A Positive Perspective

What do you think about most often? what consumes your thinking?

Do you spend hours dreaming about winning the lottery and what you would do with the money if you were to win millions? Do you worry about your children or grandchildren? Do you agonize over problems and problem people at work? What do you think about?

Do you tend to think negatively or positively?

How and what you think makes all the difference. What you think can kill you or it can give you life, hope and a future. A healthy life comes from healthy thinking. You really are what you think!

In Philippians 4:4-8 Paul wrote, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  


We discover here that we can develop a healthy way of thinking by first acquiring a positive perspective. We are to rejoice in the Lord always. No matter what circumstances we face, we can see either the positive or the negative. What do you see?

Secondly, develop an optimistic attitude. We are told not to be anxious about anything. Isn't it strange that we find all kinds of excuses for worrying about things going on around us. We drown in a sea of "what if's." Yet, most of those "what if's" never come to be. Give whatever it is you are worrying about to God and let God worry about it. Only worry if you believe you can handle the situation better than God.

Finally, when you stop spending your time worrying, you will continue to think about something. We are encouraged to think about what we know to be true (not all those things we speculate about), Think about what is honorable, what is right (not everything that is true, is right for us to think about), what is pure. Think abou what is positive and thankful, waht is worth an A+, what is excellent and what is worth a standing ovation.

I have a hunch that our lives would change if we changed our thinking to follow the instruction in Philippians 4.

*These thoughts are a summary of the second sermon in the series "The Power Of A Positive Church" I have been preaching at Bethel EM Church in Three Hills, Alberta.