“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise think on these things.” Phil. 4:8
Today’s Christian Daily Devotional
Unfortunately, I happen to be the kind of person who has to FORCEFULLY think about the positive side of life. It has always been really hard for me to relate to people that are built with to naturally sunny disposition. This struggle, I admit, is NOT a good thing.
Over time I began to notice that this habit of mine actually attracted other negative like-minded people to me. Hanging around those negative influences only perpetuated my negative situation!
Life does not have to be as downcast as we are accustomed to experiencing it. There is a healthier and happier solution! But, it requires breaking habits that we may have been practicing for years. (And anybody that has been addicted to Diet Coke knows what I’m talking about!)
When one is used to doing things a certain way, embracing new (and opposite) habits does not come easy. One of the most important decisions I ever had to make was to stop hanging around and being influenced by people that were negative. The process of cutting out these relationships hurt very much. But, slowly over time, God has been placing people who are encourging me and helping me to develop the character qualities that are pleasing to Him.
This process was not an easy one, but a necessary one. Without it, I would have no hope for achieving the kind of life that I know is far better than the life I left. Let’s pray for God to bless and help us give up the things that are holding our progress back. When we open our hearts up to this, we are finally open to receive the very BEST that God has planned for us!
“Dear Heavenly Father,
In Phil 4:8 it instructs me to focus on the positive side of everything. Lord–this is impossible for me to do without your help! I am not a “sunny” person! My dissatisfaction with where I am today tells me that what I am currently doing will never make me the person my heart desires to be. I know I need to “train” myself to do things that I am not in the habit of doing. What I am doing right now is not working for me. I know that. But, I have tried to change in the past, and here I am again today with the same problem! This tells me that I need some supernatural help here. Lord, I am ready. Give me the kind of eyes to see the positive side of even the most negative circumstances. Pull me out of this dark pit I have grown so accustomed to. I can’t live in this place anymore. Show me all the good things that I have never noticed before and help me to be a positive ray of light so I can help another person who is going through exactly what I am dealing with right now. In Jesus’ precious name, to be a child of the light and not the dark, Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s daily devotional. Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan