You ever have “one of those people” in your life? I know you are saying, what kind of person? I am talking about a “Negative Nelly”, a “Doubting Debbie” or a “Joyless Joan”. We all know them. The person who works with you, the person who checks your groceries or the person who goes to church with you. You have known them for sometime, long enough to know their personalities and their demeanor, their outlook on day-to-day life. You like them, but them being negative is making it very hard. You know the person I am talking about, you make a point to just say “hi” to them when you see them, because you know if you say the dreaded I have not gotten to talk to you much, how are things going with you? You know before the words come out of your mouth…… what is coming next. Not much will be right with them. They are going to tell you about every bad thing that is going on with them. You will hear all the problems they have right now, all the worries they have, how nothing has gone right that day, the past week, the past month or for that matter the past year. However if they have something to be prideful about, they will be sure to brag to you about how great they have done something, not that anybody noticed how great they did it, so it is their job in life to make sure everybody does know. Ok, ok I know I am being a “bit” negative myself here, maybe a little overboard on how people can be very negative. But I do believe you all know what I am talking about. I have seen people in the last couple months who, to be honest, are finding very little to be happy about. I have been praying about it, thinking about it and decided to look to the place where I know I can find answers, the Bible. In Galatians 5:22-23 the Bible tells us,
22) But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. 23) Against such things there is no law. We must not become conceited, provoking on another, envying one another.
I love what my study bible says about this verse, we as christians belong to Jesus Christ, our “old” ways in life should pass away from us. The logical way to live is to live by the spirit that God gave to us, not to fall back into the lives and habits and the “flesh” side of us. In this list of gifts from the Holy Spirit, JOY is second on the list, put right smack in the middle of love and peace. God surely has a way of making his point doesn’t He? I then found in Philippians 4:4-9, which I think is a mantra we all should try to live by. The Bible says,
4) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5) Let your graciousness be known to everyone, The Lord is near. 6) Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7) And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 8) Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable–if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise–dwell on these things. 9) Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
All I can say is WOW! I KNOW I am not perfect, the Lord knows I have not even been close, but I have written these verses in my daily index cards to be able to read each day. Something to strive for. I will look at the “Negative Nelly’s” differently also, and they will be lifted up in my prayers. I will praise God for the changes He has made and will continue to make in all of us. Praise you Lord!
