RESIST NEGATIVITY

Proverbs 10:11 “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.”

Negativity is human nature – actually it is human fallen nature. Do you know where the first negative complaint is found in the Bible? It is found in found in Genesis chapter 3 verse 12. “And the man said,’ the woman whom Thou gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.’” I can almost hear it – “Lord it’s your fault. If you hadn’t given me this woman – I wouldn’t be in this fix.”

Because of our fallen nature - negativity comes naturally. How many of you had to teach your children to be negative? We tend to believe in the worst. It is easy to talk ourselves out of something by using negativity. For example if you want to try something new, what do you start thinking? Well, I don’t know if it’s going to work – there’s not enough time – no one is going to like it. We tend to emphasize the negative.

Negativity reflects what is going on inside a person. If you want to know the condition of your heart, listen to what is coming out of your mouth. Negativity justifies itself. Just because something looks right to you that does not mean it is right. If you put on rose colored glasses everything will look rosy. If you put on dark glasses everything will look dark. What you see is a product of your eyes. All of us can have a distorted view of the world. It all depends on what you are looking through.

I have heard these statements so many times: “I have a right to be this way – look at what has happened to me.” “Nobody likes me. I have no friends.” “You always act this way. You’re never going to change.” Let me ask you a simple question: Is the glass half empty or half full? Are you looking at the problems or the possibilities? Which ever way you look at the glass you have not changed the level of it one bit. But your perspective of it has a tremendous impact on your thought processes and eventually your words.

Negativity chooses your friends for you. Negativity will draw negativity. You know the saying “Birds of a feather flock together. If you want to know the type of person you are just look at who is hanging around you. When negative people come together it creates a momentum of negativity. They feed off of one another. With each negative word that is spoken, the negative thoughts in our minds become justified to us and then turn into our words. It is a vicious cycle that tears down and destroys.

Positive thinking does not advocate a lack of reality. It is true that some situations are tough and sometimes bad things happen. However, negative thoughts and words will never improve your situation.

What is going on in your life? Are you living a life of negativity? Remember Jesus said, “I have come to give life – and not just life – but abundant life.” Don’t waist you time in negativity. Look toward the positive.