This past weekend I asked someone if they wanted to help me with a task I had to get done. They replied ‘sure.’ However, as I explained the task they exclaimed, ‘I thought you were going to do something fun today that sounds a lot like work.’ I replied that it may be work but it was still fun. I shared with them how it was all in how you perceived it.
I believe that to be the truth with most things in life. Often the things we have to do every day are not considered fun however, I am fully persuaded that we can still be content and happy while we are doing them. It is all about choices.
As I went about doing the cleaning in my house the Lord began to show me how our outlook will cause us to be happy or our outlook can cause us to be miserable. There are always two ways to look at things; always. Even with unpleasant tasks, if we look with eyes of faith, we will usually find that there is a satisfying outcome once the task is complete. Sometimes that is how we have to look at it. I believe this truth applies in all situations.
If you recall, the Bible says, when Jesus went to the cross, He chose to look at the end result instead of the challenging time He had to endure before He arrived at the other side.
Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him. His eyes were set on one thing and one thing only.
I know people who see most every situation as negative, for these folks it is hard to get them to see a positive side of anything and there are the most miserable people I know. You can hear it in their words; you can see it in their countenance. It is evident that they are miserable and it is evident that the misery comes from the way they have chosen to view daily life.
On the other hand, I have seen people go through extremely difficult seasons in their life, seasons that would have crushed most, and I have watched them keep a positive attitude, I have watched them continue to believe that God has a good end and I have seen them happy through it all, it makes a huge difference.
Two people can go through the same exact challenge, one with a negative attitude and one with a positive attitude and these two people will have two different outcomes, why? Because of how they chose to believe and part of that believing is in how they choose to perceive it. The Bible says as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
In other words, whatever you perceive about the situation is exactly what you will have. I remember one scripture where God told the children of Israel; what you have perceived I would do in your hearts that is exactly what I will do. What they were thinking about God was not good. And they were about to see their thoughts toward God manifest in their life.
In all things and in all situations I choose to believe God. I choose to believe that God will do what He promised He would do; I choose to believe that He has a good outcome for me and if I continue to trust Him, He will bring me to that good expected end.
I choose to see the best in each situation. I choose to see the positive. I choose to keep a good attitude even when I have to do things I would rather not do. I choose to look ahead at the end results of that task and keep my joy.
How about you? Do you choose to see things and people from a positive point of view? Whatever you believe in your heart, that is what you will have, that is what the word of God says. I want to encourage you to try to see things from a good perspective today and throughout this week. Try to keep a good attitude. Try to see the best in people and situations, look for the good; if you look with eyes of trust and faith, I am fully persuaded you will find something good.
Think on things that are good, change your attitude, change your perspective and you will certainly change your life…try it and see.
