Life is not easy. That might be the understatement of the year. However, if the only things you focus on are the negatives, you may feel like you will never get out of the pit you feel like you are in. For example, as a school teacher, it was super easy for me to fall into the negativity of others. Some of our negative conversations would go something like this; "How am I supposed to find time in my day to do that?", "How did that teacher get all the smart kids and I got the ones who can't pass a test?", or even "I can't believe the Principal expects us to do that, has he ever taught (insert subject here)?". It is easy for me to get pulled into negativity. I also honestly believe that for reasons I don't yet understand, females struggle way more in this department than men do (although I haven't ever been a man so I can't confirm that).
I would say for at least the past 7 or 8 years (apparently I am a slow learner), God has been dealing with me in the department of negativity. I know there have been many times I found myself in one of the conversations I mentioned, only to later walk back to my classroom or drive home feeling incredibly convicted for allowing myself to get so negative. So how in the world can we get out of that realm of negativity? As with all things, I believe that the answer to that lies in the Bible.
"Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8 NLT.
For people who have been around church their whole life, that verse may be a familiar one that has perhaps become a cliche that they just say but don't mean. However, if you really consider the verse, it is pretty revealing about how to get out of negativity. When you "fix your eyes" on something you choose to look at and focus on that thing. It is a choice to look or not look. This verse says to "fix your thoughts" on all those things. That tells me that we must choose to think true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable thoughts. We have a choice. Is it honorable to talk bad about your boss? Is it admirable to tell your co-workers what a bad teacher so-and-so is? We have to make a choice to change our way of thinking. When our internal thoughts, or external conversations, turn to those negative places, we must choose to think instead of things that are "excellent and worthy of praise".
I have found during the various ups and downs of my own life, that when I start allowing my thoughts to go to places of negativity, that I find myself feeling more discouraged or even depressed. I also have found that when I am around people who always find the negative in every circumstance, that I am easily pulled that direction. I think that as we mature as Christians, it is vitally important to learn from our mistakes and work to not make the same mistakes over and over. I know that one thing I have tried to do, is avoid situations where I might get pulled into negativity. As a teacher, I had to pretty much completely stop going to the teachers' lounge during lunch because that was a hot spot for negativity. I also learned what teachers to spend my time with, and the ones not to. It's the same in my personal life. If I spend too much time with negative people, I become negative. I try to focus my time and energy with people who are encouraging and optimistic.
Joyce Meyer has an amazing book that so many people have read called Battlefield of the Mind. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend that you pick up or borrow a copy. In it she talks about how the enemy uses our minds to keep us from God's best. I really think that is the key. If Satan can keep our minds focused on negativity and being frustrated, then we will never fully enjoy our lives. If he can identify something negative in every circumstance we are in, we will always be miserable and looking for the next best thing. However, if we can choose to allow God to renew our way of thinking, he can show us what he has for us. "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2 NLT.
We must choose to find the silver lining to every cloud that rolls our way. That is incredibly easy for me to do when I am looking in the rear view mirror, however, no matter how many victories God takes me though, I have such a hard time seeing positives in the midst of a struggle. I find that remembering that we are looking at every situation in our lives from ground level, and God sees things from 10,000 feet, tends to ease my worries some. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT. He sees the beginning and the end, as well as everything in between.
One of the darkest moments of my life so far was almost exactly 7 years ago. It was the moment I found out that I was getting laid off of a job I loved. I had so much of my identity tied up in what I did for a living that I was completely devastated. However, without going into all the details at this time, I can now tell you that it was actually a blessing. Because of being laid off I learned incredible lessons about trusting God and perseverance through trials. I also switched professions completely and started teaching during that time, something I would have likely never done otherwise. I have been incredibly blessed by the people I have met and worked with over the past 6 years in education. Because of that trial, I now see things through a bit of a different lens. I am learning how to seek God's blessings even in the midst of trying times. I hope that if you are in a time of trial and testing, that you too will choose to find the silver lining and remember that God is working behind the scenes, no matter how dark your circumstances.
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