The War on Negativity

I normally do not write when I am feeling emotional about something, but I just realized a few minutes ago that this is something that needs to be heard… maybe someone needs to hear it right now, and that is why I am impulsively writing.  Today, I would like to suggest that you declare war on negativity in your life. 

The tongue has the power to give life or give death.  I was reflecting on the past year of my life, and I realized that negativity has been a cancer to me, and I know that it is a cancer to other people.   Today, I recommitted to changing that.

Within the past 24 hours, I found that I was praying against this topic on a few occasions.  A good friend of mine was feeling overwhelmed by the negativity in her life, so I prayed that she would find healthy life-giving friends that will support her.  Just like a pitcher of water, if it is never refilled, it becomes empty after pouring into others.  I prayed that positive people would pour into her (and that God would give me the strength to do that in her life as well) so that she would no longer feel dry.  Someone else I know has abandoned her faith and has become bitter and angry (and malicious towards me), and I cursed the spirits that bother her while praying that God restores her soul to a place of peace.  I need to intercede for her, because she has grown to love the bitterness.

These are just a few examples, but give it a try.  Take the time to pray for those around you and ask God to infuse a positive, life-giving spirit to them.  Ask God to do a new work in you as well.  I find that it can be tough to be positive all the time, but I ask God to search me and restore what has been taken from me.  It requires effort, but it is worth it.

Many years ago, I learned that I had to take on the enemy and take back what is mine by myself.  This meant confronting people who were wounding me and making amends with memories of when others have wounded me.  The truth is that it was relieving, it was not easy and can be a slow process, but it is relieving.  Just remember, that the pain you feel by doing that is much like setting a broken bone… it hurts for the moment, but it is better to have that short term pain than a lifetime of a problems with the broken bone.

Do you remember my backpack analogy from a few weeks ago?  It applies here too!  If you have a book bag filled with everyone else’s garbage, it weighs you down.  This is why you have to either dump those contents on the ground and keep walking, or give it back to the person who seems to like giving you their baggage.  Preferably, giving it back to the person is the best thing because it creates accountability with them so that they know that you will not let them weigh you down.

My hope is that you see this as a serious issue as well!  Whether you are a Christian or not, know that negativity is something that will not win you friends.  Most people do not wake up in the morning and say, “wow, I really want to hang out with the person that belittles me constantly and cuts down everyone behind their back!”  This is why we have to take a stand now, so that we do not become complacent with negativity.  Paul commands the Ephesian church in Ephesians 4:29 to not let any unwholesome talk come out of their mouths, but only what is helpful for building up others according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Lets make having a life-giving heart one of our goals for the new year!