Tired of negativity and pessimism within society? Ready for the tide to turn in your direction this year? Well, the answer can be found in the center of the Bible.
If your law had not been my delight,I would have perished in my affliction. – Psalm 119:92
The various distractions you encounter can easily shift one’s attention away from the positive aspects in life. Thus, the saying misery loves company becomes a self-fulfilled prophecy. If minds continue to dwell on afflictions, the desire to live will fade, resulting in a state of pity heading toward the road to destruction, Matthew 7:13.
Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. – Psalm 37:4
However, if you begin to cling to the promises of the Bible, drawing near to the Lord, affliction will be replaced with peace, Job 22:21. While you can’t control the hand you are dealt in life, you are responsible for your attitude. Therefore, you can choose to embrace God’s laws or endure affliction. May your feet find the path that leads to delight.
Direct me in the path of your commands,for there I find delight. – Psalm 119:35
Eleanor Porter’s book Pollyanna was first published in 1912. Nearly 50 years later, Walt Disney brought this little girl to life in the form of a movie bearing her name. In a world of pessimism, Pollyanna saw circumstances through rose colored glasses, focusing her attention on the good things in life.
Seventy years wiser, Pollyanna’s are nearing extinction, killed by negativity. Instead, a new age is dawning, starring, “What did you expect anyway?” Debbie downers have set fire to optimism, extinguishing hope with self-fulfilling prophecies of failure. This attitude is breeding a generation of despair, void of expectations. The blame game, put downs and trash talking are leaving the masses to settle for mediocrity.
To escape this mentality, one must arm themselves with the mind of Christ, 1 Peter 4:1-2. Sometimes debating others until you are blue in the face is a waste of time. Rather, rid yourself of negative influences, Colossians 3:8-10, replacing these with the practices of Jesus, Colossians 3:12-15. Although you won’t have many fans along the way, be doers of the Word, not doubters, Matthew 7:24. In the end, through thick and thin, you can expect a room in heaven, John 14:2.
Unless you’ve been out of the country on vacation, most talk shows listeners and television viewers have gotten an earful from the Ray Rice saga. After videos showed the Baltimore Ravens star running back beat up his girl friend during the NFL off-season, a recent 2 game suspension for Rice has been perceived too lenient in the public’s eyes, creating a back lash against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. As Hall of Fame Induction weekend has arrived, the topic of domestic violence won’t go away. Even Steven A. Smith wasn’t exempt from criticism, given this week off by ESPN after claiming woman shouldn’t provoke men.
Anyway, as ESPN, Fox Sports and local sports channels replay Ray Rice’s apology earlier this week, commentators are at a loss, unable to comprehend Rice’s actions. Well, to be honest, if everyone’s actions we’re video taped like Jim Carrey in the Truman Show, there would be a lot of hand scratching going on. Nonetheless, there is an important biblical lesson to learn from this unfortunate incident, often the mind and body do things without any logical or rational explanation. The apostle Paul makes this clear in Romans 7:7-20 as he confesses to losing control despite being disciplined and spirit filled.
Whether you are a pastor, law abiding citizen or criminal, no one can escape the reality of Romans 7:15. Beneath the surface, souls are losing an invisible battle, Galatians 5:16-18, enabling the flesh to take over. Once in the driver’s seat, the ugliness of mankind rises to the forefront in the form of acts of the sinful nature. If you add alcohol to this equation, the probability of violence escalates. Colossians 3:1-17 gives a blue print for overcoming domestic violence or any other sinful behavior. If you want answers, the truth can be found in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2. Eliminating domestic violence from your life starts with a Christ-like attitude and ends with fruits of the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23. May the transformation detailed in Ephesians 5:1 prevent you releasing your anger on or toward another individual.
I’m not one to wear bling, yet there is something invisible beyond the gold chains adorned by celebrities and stars. Beneath the surface, a powerful spirit has risen up, taking hold of human hearts. Although disguised by many characters and personalities, the necklace called pride is real.
According to an eyewitness known as Asaph, the arrogant proudly display this attribute, Psalm 73:6. Pride is like a confidence that gets out of control, leading to cockiness, conceit and diarrhea of the mouth. This necklace is contagious, spreading to the heart, mind and soul. If left on, side affects could lead to diabolical pride according to C.S. Lewis, permanent blinding one’s perspective of truth.
As the gang culture increases, energized by rap music, the decay of families and morality on the decline, pride is the new source of power. Just as Naturalism replaced Theism during the Renaissance, pride has surpassed faith in modern circles. Attitude, behavior and words are being swayed daily from necks full of pride. May the words of Proverbs 15:31-33 unlock the chains of pride holding individuals back from God. In time, may the promise of Proverbs 11:2 use disgrace as a vehicle for change.
Political battles rage daily in congress, making their case of pulling out, not backing another country or recognizing that some wars you can’t win. Whether its the war in Afghanistan, Iraq or the next tense situation, common sense screams, “certain places in the world aren’t worth fighting for since there is no clear winner if you engage in war!” When this or that country has been battling it out for centuries or close to a thousand years, why shed innocent blood? Hopefully, someone in Washington D.C. will learn this lesson soon.
On American soil, there is a different kind of war brewing, the war of public opinion. In the 1997 film Wag the Dog, Dustin Hoffman plays a Hollywood producer who deceives the American people of a fictional war in Albania. Using special effects, talking points and a montage of sound bytes, Hoffman convinces the people of a war that doesn’t exist. Today, Blogs, Facebook, Twitter and Youtubes are the weapons of choice, steering minds in their direction. In a world of shrinking absolutes, where opinions have become elevated to fact status, this war is like chasing the wind.
The only thing you can control in this life is your own character. Sure, your enemies will attempt to assassinate your reputation, yet your actions, attitude, behavior, body language and words serve as a means of defense. As long as you are consistent, you can’t control what others says on blogs, Facebook or Twitter. Therefore, fighting back or responding to your critics is futile. By coming down to their level, you are strengthening their argument. Despite the mud opponents sling your way, display prudence by recognizing they are some wars you just can’t win.
Mottos like “Go for the Gusto, Just Do It and Seize the Day” have redefined this generation’s thought process. Instead of an act like you’ve been there and staying humble mindset, people now crave face time, searching for 15 seconds of fame. The athlete is striving to make Sports Center, the student Jeopardy and those blessed with an amazing personality hope to get their shot on the next hit reality television show. Just in case, everyone has their cell phone ready, waiting to hear a call or see a text saying, “you’re on television!”
For me, it was just dumb luck, hanging out at a friend’s 21st birthday in a luxury box at Cleveland’s old Municipal Stadium watching a double headers between the Indians and Yankees. In the early 90’s, both teams were awful, scoring a total of 4 runs combined during a doubleheader. After an amazing meal, I watched the end of the first game. Bored by a 1-0 game, I began talking to the girl next to me who brought a bottom of bubbles with her. When I got up to get another drink, I actually knocked her bottle over, spilling most of what was left.
Feeling bad, I grabbed an extra plastic handle, to make as many bubbles as possible before the liquid evaporated. Five minutes later, right field was filled with a stream of bubbles. Cameramen, apparently also bored with the game, located the source of these bubbles, shining their cameras on both of us for about 30 seconds or so. Once I saw the video monitor to my left, I stood up, hamming up this moment in time, raising my hands up as if I had scored a touchdown. Before cell phones were common, I received several phone calls at home later that night from friends across the country asking, “we you at an Indians game?” To my surprise, my accident led to 15 seconds of face time as our picture made Fox Sports, Headline Sports and Sports Center.
As a coach and parent, youth clearly imitate their sports heroes. While some of the plays I have seen at the youth and high school level are impressive, celebrations during a game are unnecessary, distracting from the concept of sportsmanship. I’m not saying applause is bad, but showing off and taunting is out of control. When the Tim Duncan’s of the sports world are overshadowed by flashy players who hog face time, young people need to follow the quiet players who lead by example. Although those who play games with the right attitude may not receive the praise others get, God is watching and will honor those who do the right thing, 1 Corinthians 9:25.
Whether you are old, young or somewhere in between, hopelessness can lead people to question what they are doing? When things don’t go your way, creating a snowball effect, minds might begin to wonder if God really cares about you and your situation? If these trials persist, doubt often enters the scene causing individuals to begin to believe, “what’s the point of praying?” “Why should I continue to pour my heart and soul into prayer, when nothing seems to change.”
This is where you will find David in Psalm 5. In the midst of his circumstances, this servant of God wanted to make sure he wasn’t praying in vain. Thus, he reminds God of his attributes, character and personality early in the morning. Using God as a crutch, David realizes the Lord is his last resort, the only force able to transform his predicament. Tired of seeing arrogant, deceitful, evil and wicked individuals proper, David pleads with God based upon Moses words in the Old Testament. Not worthy to be called righteous, David rests in mercy, Psalm 5:7, entering God’s presence with reverence and respect. Prayers like this one inspired the Lord to call his humble servant a man after God’s heart, 1 Samuel 16:7.
Wherever this blog may find you, confidence lies in results. As soon as you see direct answers and progress, your attitude will improve. However, if your words offered up in faith return unanswered, one of 3 things may be true, First, God may be keeping you from something that might steer you away from Him. Second, God’s timing is likely not aligned with your prayer, resulting in a “not right now” response, Ecclesiastes 3:11. Finally, there is a chance that someone, something or an unconfessed sin from the past is blocking God’s reply, Isaiah 1:15-17. Follow the principles of Isaiah 1:18-19 and you will leave vanity for sanity, experiencing a slice of heaven here on earth, Matthew 6:33-34.
One of the best ways you can demonstrate your love for someone is by praying for them by name. The term intercession in the context of prayer refers to relying on God to supernaturally intervene bringing about change, healing or transformation. According to Genesis 24:67, not only did Isaac love his wife, he refused to accept that Rebekah was barren, interceding on her behalf for God to preform a miracle, Genesis 25:21. Whether you are married, dating someone or unattached, when you enter into God’s presence, Ephesians 6:18-19, intercession can have everlasting results.
Something struck me when I read Genesis 25:21 today. Instead of focusing on his wife’s situation, like a woe is me attitude, Isaac took action by praying to the Lord. Whether he learned this from his father Abraham or realized his father did not practice intercession like he should have, God exceeded his prayer with 2 children, not just one. Sure, Isaac and Rebekah had their faults, lying just as his father and mom did, Genesis 26:1-7. Yet, a faithful pray-er, especially one who consistently lifts up their spouse to the Lord night after night, spurs the Holy Spirit into action.
For most of my life, prayer has been a struggle, not one of my gifted areas. However, as I read the prayers of David and see the example of Isaac, I am motivated to pray more than ever for my family and friends. Join me in this quest, fanning into flame the gift of intercession, 2 Timothy 1:6. May all those who apply this biblical principle begin to see the fruits of time on their knees.
Unless you are feeling depressed, no one wants to live a meaningless life, void of any worth or value. Something within the human soul cries out for purpose in life, hoping to make a difference in this world. Deep inside the longest chapter of the Bible, lies a prayer for significance, Psalm 119:36-37.
This prayer begins with the heart, shifting one’s attention toward the statues written in the Bible. Following this call, one must crucify their selfish desires and passions as the apostle Paul suggests in Galatians 5:24. Once these habits, patterns and ways are purged from one’s mind, a new person can emerge.
The second portion of this prayer focuses on replacing the old with an entirely new perspective. Like an addict starting over from scratch, individuals must learn what it means to invest your time in worthwhile activities. As eyes and ears start to grasp the truths of Scripture, Psalm 119:9-11, this journey commences. Within a Romans 12:1-2 attitude, the words of the Bible can preserve your steps, leading you to significance!
Misery loves company is a timeless expression which applies to nearly every generation. Beside the Great Depression, a period forcing individuals to buckle up and bear down, there is something comforting about discovering your life isn’t as bad as you first thought. After complaining, moping and venting to others, sometimes this is all you need to do to feel better.
Such is the case in Psalm 88, where one of the sons of Korah airs his frustrations. Sounding like an individual wrestling with depression, the gloom and doom, woe is me attitude can be felt by his troubling words. Thus, as I read this chapter today, God gave me a new perspective on my own life. Sure, I may not be where I want to be as an individual, professional and servant of Christ, but God has rescued me from the bitter pill of despair.
Like the double rainbow that appeared over the skies of Newark, Delaware last night, the flood has ceased and the sun is about to shine! Don’t allow your own circumstances to block you from seeing the light, the positive. Rather, claim the words of Psalm 88:13, believing that God will come to your side. May God ease your pain, providing joy and peace to help you feel better now!
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