True Positive: Day 10 – Perseverance

July 16, 2017July 16, 2017Leave a comment

Women ready to race on track field

Perseverance means to continue doing something in spite of the difficulties or opposition. It means being steadfast in purpose and to persist. When we face challenges of any kind, let’s be honest, our tendency is to want to quit. Whether it is school or work or a relationship, it is natural for us to want to take the easy route or the less painful path. Possibly one of the most positive things we can do is to push through the uncomfortable circumstances and persevere.

It takes courage and strength, mixed with a glimmer of hope, to press forward in tough times. Granted, there are some circumstances in life when we ought to call it quits, but we must be wise, discerning and prayerful in those situations. We can learn from the apostle Paul’s example as he faced hardships, imprisonments and beatings. He wrote, “Forgetting the things that are behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God is calling me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Press on my friend, with your eyes on the goal. Find your courage, strength and hope in Him.

True Positive: Day 8 – Growth

July 14, 2017Leave a comment

FullSizeRender (4)

It’s inevitable. You will experience disappointments, frustrations and setbacks in your life (or day or week). Although these may seem like negatives, you can also discover positives in the mix. Every challenge offers an opportunity to grow and learn – you just have to be looking for it! When we form the habit of saying, “What can I learn from this experience,” we can change any difficulty into an opportunity for growth.

Joseph in the Old Testament offers a tremendous example. In Genesis 37 we read about the injustices and tragedies that happened to Joseph, yet in each circumstance he didn’t sit around and sulk and become bitter – he became better! He learned responsibility as a slave in Potiphar’s house. He learned resourcefulness and service during his years in prison. All these growth experiences prepared him to be second in command of Egypt.

How can you grow and learn from what you are going through right now?

True Positive: Day Seven – Prayer

July 13, 2017Leave a comment

FullSizeRender (1)

Prayer can be the most powerful and positive moments of our day. It is in this quiet time of solitude when we turn our hearts toward God, that we gain strength and direction for the day. E. M. Bounds wrote, “Prayer should not be regarded as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege to be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always revealing some new beauty.”

What could be more joyful than coming before the High King of Heaven each morning and spending sweet time with Him! I encourage you to find a place and a time each day when you can be alone with God. David offers a wonderful example of a man after God’s own heart – a true man of prayer. He cried out to God when he was in anguish; he cast his cares on God when he was in need. He praised God for his attributes and thanked Him for his blessings. He sought God for direction, guidance and help. Truly prayer was a fundamental part of King David’s life and the secret to his success.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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. Philippians 4:6,7

True Positive: Day Six – Faith

July 12, 2017July 12, 2017Leave a comment

FullSizeRender (8)

Our belief system impacts our overall attitude toward life. When we operate from the belief that a loving, creator God cares about our lives and listens to our prayers, we live with a hope and peace that surpass normal understanding. More than that, through faith in Christ we live with a sense of forgiveness and grace that God has bestowed on us, and we in turn extend a similar forgiveness and grace toward others. Living faith of this nature creates in us a deep and abiding love and joy which can’t help but elevate our attitudes in life.

Even secular psychologists site that faith practices can elicit positive emotions such as joy, tranquility and compassion. It’s one thing to believe in the God of the Bible with our minds, but it’s another thing to lean in with our lives and trust His unfailing love for us. One of the ways we strengthen our faith is by reading His Word and spending time with Him in prayer (which we will talk about tomorrow). Consider how Paul encouraged the Roman believers’ faith, and notice the peace and hope that come as a result:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5)

Ask God to strengthen your faith in Him today.

True Positive: Day Five – Thankfulness

July 11, 2017Leave a comment

FullSizeRender (16)

Want to become a more positive person? Begin a daily routine of giving thanks, and it will change your perspective and outlook on life. When you take a moment to consider the blessings you have encountered over the last 24 hours and reflect on the things you can be glad about, you begin to see that life isn’t as bad as it may seem at times. There are good things happening to us each day, but we have to be looking for them.

Harvard Health Publications from Harvard Medical School wrote this:

In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.

For me personally, I write in a journal every morning while I enjoy my first cup of coffee. I intentionally make a list of at least five things I can be grateful for – but my list always goes much longer than simply five! Once I start recounting all the Lord has done or recalling the people I encountered, I can’t help but smile. If I am facing a challenge, I try to consider one thing I can be thankful in the midst of the challenge. This practice can literally transform a grumbly person into a happy one -I know, because that’s what it did for me!