God's Word encourages us to think about positive aspects:
lovely, true, encouraging issues rather than negative ones. We tend to live as
we think, and positive thoughts will always improve our life (Proverbs 27:3).
God's Spirit taught me to come to Him when I am
discouraged about some issue. I don't ask "Why", but I ask Him to
show me a positive way to think about whatever is bothering me.
For instance, my daughter rejected her Christian heritage
and is into the occult. She is passionate about her beliefs and resents me for
not affirming them as plausible and wholesome. I do not "Preach" to
her, but she knows very well what I believe. She rejected me several years ago,
and has not spoken to me since.
She is attempting to fill the spiritual void in her life from her
spirit, which is dead in sin, with humanistic and satanic rituals and beliefs.
I ached for her inability to enjoy the goodness of God and Christ, due to her
rebellion from her childhood teachings.
I asked God to show me the positive side of my only
daughter rejecting Him and me from her life. He pointed out that her current
activities and beliefs would grieve my spirit, which is Born Again through
faith in Jesus Christ; and that we would have little to actually communicate
about at this current time.
So, when I miss her, I just remember that she
has taken the broad path through life, and that when she comes to the end of
this futile search, she will return to the words of Truth from God's Word
within her. Then our relationship will be restored.
As I keep my focus on these positive aspects of this
situation, I have joy in my heart, instead of sorrow; and I trust in God to
continue to reach out to her by His Spirit. These are her choices and I cannot
do or say anything that would change her mind; in fact, my words would only
drive her deeper into her rebellion against God; so I trust Him with her life and eternal destination.
Prayer:
Father God, keep us ever focused on the good,
trustworthy, pure, wholesome, lovely, praiseworthy, holy and positive aspects
of this life; and to trust You for the outcome of every issue that arises in
our daily encounters with people and circumstances. We can only influence those
who are open to Your Truth; everyone else will notice our silent witness and
ponder it in their heart until the day that every knee will bow and every
tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is truly the one and only God and King (Philippians
2:11).
Remind us that our call from You is to share the Gospel
of Christ at all times, but we only have to use words when people are open to
hear them. Your light in us will shine from the hilltops, as long as we remember
not to hide it, but to let it shine brightly in the world around us (Matthew
5:16).
Thought for the Day:
When we are in Christ, and He is in us, we focus on the
invisible truths of His Spirit in the eternal world rather than on the visible,
carnal aspects of this life that is passing away.
