Eliminating Negative Thinking – Philippians 4:4-9
Part Three
The
other side of this divine conversation is meditation in which we listen to the
Holy Spirit as He answers our inquiries and requests. Our Heavenly Father desires to grant us His
loving wisdom and guidance. Regrettably,
we fail to listen as we will not allow the Lord to impart His answer. Has a relative or friend ever called you
seeking your counsel? When this person finally pauses, you begin to share your
perspective and offer feedback only to be interrupted rudely by an overly
anxious person who talks a mile a minute and need to vent. We respond to our Heavenly Father in a
similar manner. Fear, doubt and panic
permeate our minds and hearts.
Accordingly, we do not allow Him to get a word in edgewise. However, when we do, He lovingly and
graciously surprises us with His infinite compassion and amazing counsel. In many instances, we realize we are always
in His protection and care; thus we need not fret or worry. Meditation upon His perfect past provision
and care equips us to look for its continuance despite the shifting sands of
time. He remains the same yesterday,
today and forever. In moments of silent
meditation, we hear His caring voice and feel His loving presence.
Incidentally,
our petitions should be as specific as possible. God rarely deals with generalities. His perfect knowledge of our situation yields
an equally ideal response. Ask for
exactly what you need! Bottom line your
request. Have you had the experience of
having to pull a request out of someone?
It is evident what they want and need.
They stall and hint hoping you will state their exact need as an
indirect way of volunteering to meet it.
Whereas these tactics offend us because the people who make the requests
should know us well enough to ask directly, they also offend the holy and
loving character of our Heavenly Father who possesses perfect knowledge of our
circumstances and loves us unfailingly.
Ask specifically. Seek
diligently. Knock loudly.
Gratitude
is the polar opposite of negativity.
Each remembrance of thanksgiving removes the temptation to fret over
things we do not have. Being thankful is
the surest means of always seeing the proverbial glass as half full rather than
half empty. “Gratitude in the attitude”
is a wise saying which recommends that we train our minds and hearts to look
for something for which to be grateful in every occurrence. Recently, a cancer survivor shared with our
First and Third Tuesday Prayer Meeting that she was grateful for every difficult
day on which she was sick and could eat or rest because it was another day in
the land of the living and one closer to the healing she eventually
received. An attorney friend who
underwent open heart by-pass surgery late last fall shares his gratitude of
being spared a heart attack which would have damaged irretrievably his heart
muscle and possibly ended his life.
Embedded in the endings of job loss, broken engagements, career ending
injuries, divorce and even death are new unimaginable beginnings that emerge
through the lenses of thanksgiving.
Simply stated, gratitude enables a person to accentuate the positive and
resist the tendency to dwell upon negative factors.
Divine
peace annihilates negative thoughts as head and heart agree to seek and
implement God’s will. In fact, God’s
presence and His shalom prevents anxiety, fear and negativity from invading a
disciple’s mind or heart. The Greek
words that Paul uses in this passage paint a vivid picture of a sentinel
standing guard at all hours of the day and night. No one enters the gates of the palace without
identifying himself and being granted permission. Should someone possibly evade the watchman
and armed guard, the latter person shouts loudly, “Halt, who goes there?” If the guard receives any threat of force or
further resistance, he fires his weapon to neutralize and even annihilate this
potential danger to himself and the people who he protects. Afterwards, he arrests the assailant and
arranges a proper adjudication of his violation. The Holy Spirit performs a similar function for
disciples as He imparts remembrances of our Heavenly Father’s unconditional and
unfailing love and faithful provision.
These reflections equate with firing rounds ammunition to eliminate
threats to our well-being. He impedes
the beginnings and development of negativity.
Further, the Holy Spirit reassures us of the Father’s gracious gift of
divine power as He comforts us as we overcome these mental, emotional and
spiritual tests. In Latin, the word,
comfort, is a combination of cum
(with) and fortis (power or
fortitude). Practically, the Holy Spirit
comes to us with spiritual dynamite and godly wisdom to assist us in resolving
our daily dilemmas.
Additionally,
Paul says God’s peace surpasses human understanding. It does not lend itself to religious formulas
and clichés. Living is peace is not
merely the absence of emotional turmoil.
Rather, it is the presence of security, stability and blessed assurance
in both head and heart. Completing a
detailed pros and cons lists with a majority of favorable factors does not
yield peace when making a paramount decision relating to love, work, health or
finances. Usually, determining whom to
marry, which house to buy, whether to accept a job offer, when to move or any
number of other main choices is a matter of attaining peace. How do you know if you are making the right
decision? Certainly, examining the
financial, relational, political, spiritual and personal implications for a reasonable
and satisfactory answer is necessary.
Yet, a logical evaluation in and of itself will not grant divine
peace. Intellectually, all circumstances
may appear fine yet you may still have a foreboding feeling. Is this the right decision for me and my
family? You cannot experience God’s
peace and personal angst simultaneously.
Pay attention to the internal questions and voice.
Ask
our Heavenly Father for His wisdom and guidance in which He will reveal
previously undisclosed facts and hidden variables. His mystical, magnificent and mysterious
orchestration of our daily affairs resolves all challenges, provides every need
and imparts His peace. In my move from
Nashville, TN to Cambria Heights, NY to accept my current pastorate, Almighty
God perfectly coordinated every single detail.
Literally, everything my family and I needed for this move was given
exactly when we needed. In the two years
since the move, by God’s grace we have “lived into the move” and proactively
affirmed our decision. Hence, we know
with the Lord’s assurance that we made the right decision. Our hearts and minds maintain symmetry of
peace as we daily express gratitude for God’s peace as we moved one thousand
and eight hundred miles to a new place for our children as they near
adolescence and my mother-in-law as she faces the challenges of her autumn years. Simple rationality would not have sufficed to
yield the blessed quietness we feel.
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