Focus on the Good
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things." -- Philippians 4:8
How often we focus on the negative in our lives and neglect the positive, wonderful things that happen. What did you say? Had a bad day, did you? Well, a lot of good things happened too. There are lots of great things that happen each day. Some are small and some are huge, but they happen. We just don't notice them.
I'll give you an example. I left home this morning at 5 headed to Mobile. I was driving on the interstate when I spotted a beautiful rainbow in the sky. It came out of nowhere. I hadn't experienced rain at that point. There were a few clouds but not too many. Nothing to indicate what was about to come. It's like God just decided to paint a rainbow in the sky and wish us a happy day. It was just so awesome!
I could have grumbled about getting up at 4 a.m. I am not a morning person. I could have focused on the irritating traffic. (Stop texting while you are driving, people!) Instead, God gave me -- and everyone else around me -- a rainbow. I wonder how many people saw it and enjoyed it. I wonder how many people missed it because they were grumbling about their lives.
I've been reading a devotional titled "Daily Steps for God Chicks" by Holly Wagner. Not surprisingly, this morning's verse was the one above. Wagner said something that really hit home. She said we can't control that first thought that comes in our heads. But we can control the ones that follow it.
It is such a simple, obvious thing. Aren't we all guilty of obsessing over negative things sometimes? And isn't that especially true for women? Our feelings get hurt and we relive the moment again and again. We make a mistake and we repeat it in our minds again and again. You get the picture. How much better just to let it go and focus on the things that are right in our world. There's a lot of beauty around us. We just have to open our eyes to see it.
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