The recent “cancel culture” has challenged many here-to-fore acceptable behaviors, supports, and even history that none of us can change. Add to this the fear of the pandemic response to a simple sneeze or allergy. Then, create negative news to keep everyone confused – who do we listen to? Who do we believe? Can anyone know the truth?
There’s not a lot you can do about this. Except. You can be optimistically positive when everything else seems negative.
Bring negative to the conversation, and I’ll bring positive. Speak hurtfully; I’ll speak helpfully. Have little faith? I will have much faith. Think negatively, and I’ll overwhelm the thought waves with positive vibrations!
This is my nature. Push back against the darkness. Fight the negatives, even when I’m the one thinking it, feeling them, and speaking the words myself.
My biggest battle is often myself fighting myself.
Your negative? I’ll tune you out if I can’t change it to positive. Your cancel? Sorry. That’s you, not me. There’s nothing I can do about you, but there’s a lot I can do about myself. History? We cannot change the past, only don’t let the past rule us.
Self Worth Is Often The Qustion
A few decades ago, someone challenged me, and from their perspective, they were right, and I was wrong. So, I analyzed their position. That’s my nature. I’m analytical. I realized they were standing on the shakiest ground possible with their premise. They assumed they were right and never analyzed themselves. From the wrong position, they were challenging someone in the right! And I knew it!
You can listen to those voices in the ether. If you are not careful, they will convince you that your position is wrong! Listen without analyzing, and you will come to believe them. Then you will change. Your perspective will modify your outlook.
King David puts it like this:
A Psalm of [for] Asaph.
Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
My steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the boastful,
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Psalms 73:1-3 NKJV
When you take your eyes off your steps and watch how others may prosper, you lose your way! This applies on many fronts. Consider how successful someone is, let it fester that they have benefits and you don’t, then let it rise and create an outlash of hateful invective.
You just became them.
Step back. Change your heart. Focus on your words. Take wings and fly! You are letting your self-worth speak Peace into your situation.
Fight The Negatives With Positive
Where do you look for positives? Some need reinforcements from reading valuable quotes from someone who has “been there…done that…”
In the midst of storms, I look for positives. When my blood boils, I look for ways to cool it down. If my words are weapons, I realize they can also be building blocks.
I find positivity in the Bible more than in well-written prose. Pull those words together. Then I can find positivity in a novel, textbook, and even history study.
Again, take comfort in Scripture:
Unless the LORD had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence.
If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up.
In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
Psalms 94:17-19 NKJV
I find my Peace in The Lord. The creator of the universe, the savior of my soul. He left Peace with me, and not the Peace of this world. (John 14:27) If I’m consumed with the Negatives, the Holy Spirit brings me Positives.
But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, Peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV