Beloved, I hope you are prospering in every respect and are in good health, just as your soul is prospering. 3 John 1:2
I think I’m done watching TV for the next week. With so many political attack ads running right now, it’s hard to keep from getting depressed. So much negativity can really drag us down, and for a lot of us, we’re already struggling in so many ways. Maybe you’ve found yourself asking, can it get much worse?
The problem with that way of thinking is that we wallow in the negative, and all the positive, great things that are all around are lost to us. Recently, I heard someone talk about stink’n think’n. How can that be good for us?
Let’s start turning this around. As John reminds us in the passage above, God doesn’t want us to just survive. No, He wants us to thrive. While many of us are in a season of difficulty right now, this season will pass. We need to be planning now for the next season ahead, one in which we will move beyond survival mode.
If poor health is your issue, start praying about ways you can get healthier. I love praying when I’m out on a walk. Not only do I get the health benefits of exercise, but I also experience God’s creation all around me.
If finances are your issue, ask God to give you some wisdom to improve your situation. Consider going to the library and checking out one of Dave Ramsey’s books on getting your finances back on track.
If relationships are your concern, spend some time praying about how you could be a better friend, parent, spouse, co-worker. Instead of waiting/wishing/hoping for the other person to change, let the change start with you. I hope 2011 will be the Year of the Olive Branch.
Whatever the issue is that you’re struggling with, bring God into it. I know this may be tough for some, but try it. Maybe you need to work on your relationship with Him first, before anything else. That’s OK. Too many of us have tried to do everything on our own, without His help. Could that be the very reason we’re just surviving right now? Hmmn.
As this new day begins, I hope that we can start to focus on finding ways that will help us in our various transformations. A new season will be upon us before we know it. Let’s get ready for it 🙂
