Encouragement

Dump the Negativity

by Toni Smothers 
02/17/10
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Have you ever been deliberately mindful of who and what you allow to enter your consciousness? Think about it - There’s so much uncensored input that comes to us from moment to moment, it seems almost like subliminal programing. I’ve decided to take a few proactive measures to hold on to a wholesome world view. By that I mean I’ll at least attempt to dismiss negativity, in all its various forms, as soon as it is spewed in my direction. You might think me condescending, but wait – I just want to uproot all that stuff that insidiously seeps out from those around me who seem intent on complaining about practically everything in their lives. You know, those people who seem to just live to bring us down to a level that is, well, just too low.

I want to capture and sustain the rich pleasure that resides within a joyful life. Hope tells me that it is possible to be intentional. I’ll welcome and enhance the positive while rejecting and weakening the negative in those influences that I permit to touch my heart.

If I ask God to help me live out His will and plan for my life, morose, argumentative thinking can play no part. I’m sure that I’ll be much happier if I can train myself to instinctively repel all negativity, including my own, that would otherwise casually slip into my mind whenever my guard is down. It makes me smile just to imagine living a consistently positive, expectant lifestyle, filled with happy gratitude for all that God has already given me. We all know that we, as Christians, often profess that attitude, while behaving and speaking quite differently a lot of the time. In plain words, we don't always practice what we preach. (Ouch!)

So, if you agree that life is absolutely meant to be sweet, regardless of problems or challenges, take the acid test – Refuse to loose even a moment of your joy. Take the time to actually think about what you’re thinking. After all, negativity will always exist as long as God allows Satan to exist. The choice belongs to us. I choose the abundant life. How about you?