Cultivating a Positive Atmosphere

I felt impressed this morning as I was reading my daily declarations, that I was being questioned by the Spirit of the Lord - “Are you really, 'Blessing the Lord at all times, and continually praising Him with my mouth..'? It seems to me that I am hearing more often the sounds of, 'Blaming someone or something (for a lack-oriented, negative perspective) at all times, and complaining about negatively perceived circumstances constantly!' ” Ouch. But what is true is true. The only answer when nailed that solidly is repentance! 

If I didn't know before, now I know, I definitely need to work on this! It seems so easy to fall into a negative pattern of perceiving life. There is a tendency within our fallen natures which is constantly comparing, creating a “grass is greener over there” view of life, which causes depression and negativity, due to a resulting feeling of being left out of the good life.

But in reality we all have so much more than our parents or grandparents did – for the most part! It may have diminished overall, or in certain ways, but by and large we live in so much more ease and luxury than they did. Our relative “below the poverty-line” living conditions are so much higher than the same economic place when I was growing up! For example, my mother never had a clothes dryer, air conditioning, or heat in the entire house! And other such conveniences.

It used to take so much more to survive! On the down-side, survival was at least possible then, whereas now, zoning has pretty much out-lawed it – but then – if it were to come down to that situation happening again, we probably wouldn't live long enough to raise our own meat and veggies anyway!

The point is, that we are so out of control of our own lives at this point it is an exercise in futility to worry about any of it! Why not trust God, Bless Him every day, and praise Him with our mouths! Enough complaining already! We know it could be better, but we should also know that it can get worse! Let's purpose to enjoy, and use to the highest good, what we do have! Let's celebrate when we feel great, patiently pray when we feel bad, work when we have strength and rest when we don't! But in all of it, an attitude of gratitude is much less stressful for all concerned!

So get out there and create yourself a positive atmosphere – remembering that His grace IS sufficient! And who are we to argue with that? So, dear friends, please pray for me, that I will be successful in laying aside my “brown-glasses” of negativity, and use my praise to God to clear the air of threatening clouds of darkness, and to cultivate that atmosphere of gratitude in my world! And that I will Bless the Lord continually, with His praise always in my mouth!

Shalom Chavarim!

SCD 2/3/15