PRAYER PROMPT ••• I have the meanest cat in the world.
Her name is Vivien Leigh, and she’s grumpy, short-tempered, cantankerous, and mean.
She’s known to bite, and after 14 years with her, I’ve learned to warn people not to be deceived by her curiosity when she approaches them.
I love Vivien Leigh, but I’m the only one who does.
My husband and son can’t stand her.
If she were a person, she’d have nothing nice to say.
She’d be one of those people who would suck the life out of any room she entered and infuse it with negativity.
Do you know anyone like that?
Yeah, so do I and while I tolerate it from my cat, I have little patience with it from people.
Psychology 101 would tell us these are the people who need love the most.
I agree to a point, but also think some people just like to complain.
However, not only has science proven that negativity is bad for your health, the Bible says so too.
Proverbs 17:22 (MSG) says, “A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.”
Amen.
And how do we fix it?
Philippians 4:8 (NLT) says, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
This one takes work because it’s a matter of choice.
The easy road is to identify all the things that are bad; the challenge is to look for the good.
My personal strategy for dealing with negativity is to be so ridiculously, over-the-top cheerful that they either run away from me or I force them to smile whether they like it or not.
For those who aren’t Christians, I can understand the negativity.
They are often looking for joy in the wrong places, and as Christians, we know the only source for lasting joy and peace is in Jesus Christ.
So that’s why it’s CRITICAL that we let it shine through us.
We MUST radiate joy and let the love we have through Christ ooze from every pore!
We are a reflection of His love, and there’s no room for negativity in that.
Sure, we may experience sadness at times, but sadness and the joy of Christ can coexist.
Today, as you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to convict your heart if you have drifted to the negative.
Ask Him to help you focus on the all-praise-worthy Jesus, all He’s done for you, and constantly rejoice in the Lord!
Ask Him to remind your heart often of Psalm 118: 24 (NLT), “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
One Response
Amen!!