How's that Attitude working for you?

Lately I have been spending a lot of time in my head mulling over all the bad stuff that has been happening and the people responsible for it.  Partly because I am tired of it and I want it to end already and partly because I suppose, deep down, the whole forgiveness thing is grinding on me in that I need to keep doing so.  For the old stuff and for the ongoing stuff (another post for another day no doubt).  So, yes, lots of unpleasantness going on in the brain.

However, this is not how God wants us to deal with stuff.

I read this recently:  Proverbs 15 vs 15:  All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

Truly, reading this has never made too much sense to me.  But this time I dug deeper.

What it basically means is that a negative person will always be in a negative space all their days.  They will always be on the short end of the stick, their "luck" will always be bad, they will always be the victim, people will always be mean to them.... basically, their perception of their day to day lives will lead to a lifetime of affliction, self-inflicted mostly.

Whereas, the positive person, because they choose joy, because they choose contentment, because they choose to focus on what is good, wholesome, lovely, of good report (Phil 4 vs 8), because they choose to see the good in people, and choose not to take offence, it will be as though their lives are in a place of continual "feast"/ happiness/ positivity, etc.  It is all about your attitude in your circumstances.

My bible's notes say: "Look at your attitudes and then examine what you allow to enter your mind and what you choose to dwell on. You may need to make some changes."

Having considered what that verse means, and having considered my bible's notes on the matter, the one word that literally jumped off the page for me was "DWELL"!  What am I dwelling on?

I have got to say that what I have been dwelling on has certainly tainted my "every day".  It has certainly tainted many of my conversations, and yes, to a degree, some of my decisions.

So it is with a humble and relieved heart that I now choose to "focus" on the Lord, His word, and all the good around me.  Instead of all the muck that pulls one into a life "afflicted with evil"!

I hope this has encouraged you too, to look up at the Lord and focus on Him and the good and beautiful He has placed in your life and environment, instead of the filth the devil wants you to focus on!

God bless
Tracy