I woke up tired this year—emotionally weary to my bones. December had ushered in a festive reprieve from the overshadowing challenges of the pandemic, but January seemed to launch under a cloud of dismal hopes and dreary routines. The struggle for optimism in this new year was real. Let’s face it—the initial days of 2021 felt strangely similar to those of 2020.
I was tired of the restrictions. Tired of the social distance. Tired of the postponements, cancellations and disappointments. I was tired of all the national division and discrimination. The same rhetoric, day in and day out. Tired, too, of missing my loved ones. I was just plain worn out.
I spent the first few weeks dragging myself out of bed in the morning when all I wanted to do was pull the covers over my head and sleep until brighter days dawned. I felt like the groundhog who peeks out from his burrow for a momentary glance in February and then wisely scurries back underground until winter passes. But, since there’s there’s no spiritual hibernation for Christ-followers, I put one foot in front of the other and began to ask God to give me the right perspective for the year ahead—a year, I realized, that will never be repeated and one that I don’t want to waste.
“Our feelings and outlook on life are often the result of the things we have been pondering ”
God began to remind me that what we spend our time thinking about creates the framework of our perspective. Our feelings and outlook on life are often the result of the things we have been pondering and turning over in our thoughts. Feeling down? Ask yourself what you’ve been thinking about lately. Feelings of pessimism can often sprout from ruminating on negative, hopeless thoughts. Likewise, feelings of optimism tend to grow from thinking about good things. It’s the principle of reaping what you sow and we certainly can’t expect to harvest a joyful attitude when our minds have been sown with gloom. The Bible is crystal clear in outlining exactly what we are to fill our minds with…
“So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.” - Philippians 4:8 TPT
Now before you begin to think that I’m suggesting some simplistic positive-thinking solution to the difficult issues we’re facing these days, let me stop you right there. We most certainly have to deal with all the hardships and demands in our lives and in the surrounding world. But I believe God is encouraging us—even in the midst of our most challenging circumstances—to look for the good things from His hands (and there will always be good things from His hands) and let those things fill our minds in our quiet moments. God gives us the ability to take every negative thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and choose to cultivate a life-giving pattern of thinking in its place.
Reflecting on the gift of life we have, God’s immense love for us, the meal we just had the privilege of eating, the kindness we witnessed between strangers at the grocery store…thoughts like these, over time, mature into a positive attitude—one of joyful expectancy and hope.
These days I continue to partner with God in working on my own thought life. But I have already begun to experience new growth—sprouts of joy starting to take root and a boost in spiritual energy. I don’t want to forfeit an ounce of joy that belongs to me in Christ. We are standing on the threshold of a unique season in time—one that I plan on living fully and rejoicing in along the way.
“And don’t allow yourselves to be weary or disheartened in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!” - Galatians 6:9 TPT