September 6, 2022
Positive Thinking-Get your week started off right!
What is positive thinking?
Positive thinking is a mind-set that you choose to remain in regardless of what is going on in your life. When adversity happens, you don’t allow it to keep you in a negative space; but instead you see things in a hopeful and reasonable manner. Having an optimistic attitude will ensure that you live a healthier life mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In Proverbs 17:22, the Word of God tells us, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.”
Breaking down this particular scripture we can see that the Lord is letting us know what happens to our overall health when we refuse to keep a cheerful heart. Don’t get me wrong we are all going to have our days when something happens that causes us to be sad or upset. It becomes an issue when we stay in that head space. Stand on the joy of the Lord because He is your strength, Nehemiah 8:10. Whenever the trials and tribulations hit because they will, remain focused on the One who can calm the storms!
This week’s positive message: Don’t give up, keep pressing forward!
When adversity enters into your life, it is really easy to just give up. Your kids are acting out, you’re arguing with your spouse, your finances are not where they should be and you want to throw in the towel! I can completely relate to that feeling because I know that I have been in that situation on more than one occasion. It makes you want to just run away! The thing is we are all going to have to face difficulties at one point in our lives; there is no way to escape it.
How you handle those challenging situations is what is going to make all the difference. Don’t allow your hardship to keep you from being the person that the Lord destined you to be. The enemy has a way to recognize the potential in you so he wants to stop you from prospering. He will use your friends, family, finances, and even your enemies to wreak havoc so that you don’t fulfill the purpose that God intended for your life.
In Jeremiah 29:11 it states, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God’s intention for our lives from the beginning is that we succeed having a life in abundance, John 10:10. Stand firm on the Word of God when you encounter moments in life where you want to give up!
When tribulation hits, don’t quit!
One of the main reasons why some Christians backslide and fall away from the Lord is when tribulation hits. When we go through something so traumatic and so painful, we cannot wrap our minds around the reason why it is happening to us. It can be depleting, discouraging, and if we are honest a lot of times it makes us angry. The thing is we can’t comprehend the thoughts of the Lord; His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts, Isaiah 55:8. He knows the beginning from the end so if you are a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ you have to have trust in Him and what His Word says.
He states in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” If we truly understand that verse and hold on to its promise, we have to know that whatever goes on in our lives good or bad has to work in our favor. That is why it is vital that you stay saturated in the bible in season and out of season as the Lord explains in 2 Timothy 4:2.
That way, when you go through the storms of life you can remain planted and unmovable because your foundation is firm. The devil uses your vulnerable moments as an opportunity to push you away from God.
He will say things like:
- See, God doesn’t love you or this wouldn’t have happened to you.
- This is happening to you because of everything that you’ve done in your past.
- See, your prayers don’t work or you wouldn’t be going through this.
- You’re never going to get out of this situation because God can’t hear you.
Remember, the devil is the father of lies and will plant seeds of doubt in your mind because he knows that you are in a fragile state. Don’t give him that satisfaction!
When relationships get difficult, don’t quit!
One of the things that people don’t mention to you before you get married is that it really is going to take hard work to make it successful. You are connecting with someone on a mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual level and if you are not prepared for that, it will become challenging. You are entering into a crash course on learning how to adapt to how someone else lives. I know one of the things that I struggled with the most was understanding that my husband was now the head of the household.
I was a single mother taking care of my house, bills, and everything in between and now here I was having to learn how to let go of the fact that I was no longer fully in charge. It took a little while to grasp that fact but the Lord helped me understand the importance of submitting to my husband. He designed the family structure that way, Ephesians 5:23. One of the main reasons I feel like I was ready to compromise and adjust is because I came into the relationship whole. I had spent one on one time with the Lord Jesus Christ and He molded, shaped, and prepared me to be a wife. He taught me the level of maturity that it was going to take to be in a successful marriage.
The fact of the matter is that every relationship is going to go through ups and downs. When those situations occur, make it a point to seek the Lord for resolution. Don’t speak negatively over your spouse, words have power and you can speak blessings or curses. You have to make sure that you go into your prayer closet and cover your husband or wife in prayer. We are not battling against flesh and blood, Ephesians 6:12. We are fighting the demons that are encouraging the negative behavior that your loved one is displaying. Don’t ever underestimate the fact that life is spiritual and when you can grasp that fact, you will battle in a whole other level!
When you don’t see progress right away, don’t quit!
Anytime that you start something new it can be difficult, especially if you have several other things in your life that you are juggling. A lot of times what ends up happening is that you don’t see the progress that you’re searching for right away and so you just quit. Regardless of what you are attempting to accomplish the key thing to remember is that you don’t want to just give up. Of course you are going to come across circumstances where you have no choice. For instance, when COVID hit a lot of businesses went bankrupt due to things that were outside of their control.
What I’m talking about is quitting everything that you start because there is no immediate gratification. Anything that is truly worth having is going to take time, effort, and determination to get it. I recently read an article called How Long It Takes for a Small Business to Be Successful: A Year-By-Year Breakdown, and in that article it was talking about how 20 % of businesses give up within the first year! That just reiterates my point, we want what we want when we want it, and we want it right now! Unfortunately life doesn’t work that way.
Whether you are trying to build a relationship with the Lord, build a business, or build your relationship with your spouse; it is going to take intentional time and the right mind-set to get it where you want it to be.
For instance:
If you are working on strengthening your relationship with the Lord you are going to have to take the proper time out to pray, fast, get in your Word, and genuinely develop a relationship with Him. That is not going to happen overnight! But, if your connection with Him is worth it; you are going to be willing to put in the necessary time needed to grow that intimate relationship. The Word of God tells us in Luke 10:27, “So he answered and said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” That kind of love is not something that is going to grow immediately. You have to put in the effort!
If you decide that you want to build a business from the ground up, it is going to take several years for you to see any real success. The thing is if you give up within your first year like the 20% of all startup businesses, you will never know how profitable your idea could have been. Isaiah 55:11 says, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” As Christians we have the Word of God as a Powerful Weapon to speak life into our plans. The Lord points out in this scripture that His Word does not return to Him void. Proclaim the Word of God over every aspect of your life including your business and watch how the Lord will move on your behalf!
If you are trying to build your relationship with your spouse it is going to take communication, understanding, and maturity. All of which cannot be established instantly. The Lord explains to us in 1 Corinthians 13:4 it states, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” The part that I want to highlight is when the Apostle Paul tells the church of Corinth that “Love is patient.” The first year of marriage is typically the hardest just because the two of you are adapting to what it means to be around each other 24/7. That can be challenging especially if you are used to living alone. In order to get past that initial growing phase, you cannot give up!
Use this week to analyze the areas in your life that you feel like you are not giving your all. Things that you know could grow and prosper if you just took the time to nurture them. Are you just giving up when things get uncomfortable or difficult? Be honest with yourself. If your answer is yes, all that means is that there are some areas that need some improvement. You can always progress even if it’s a little at a time, just don’t give up!
If you missed the previous Positive Messages, no worries I am linking them below:
Positive thinking-Get Your Week Started Right-August 28, 2022
Positive thinking-Get Your Week Started Right-August 22, 2022
Positive thinking-Get Your Week Started Right-August 1, 2022
Other blogs pertaining to this topic are:
Proverbs Scriptures that you need in your life right now!