We live in a world that seems to be going crazy. Some may argue that every generation has experienced similar upheaval. That may be true and might even be worth further conversation. Still, whether this is a new, and compounding, situation or one that seems to repeat itself, the sense of “crazy” that surrounds us makes it difficult at times to remain positive. Whether our “crazy” is driven by the political environment, regardless of which side of the aisle you happen to fall on, or what appears to be international chaos doesn’t matter. Or perhaps our sense of “crazy” has nothing to do with any of that. Maybe, our personal life just feels like it’s in shambles: health issues, financial issues, family issues, career issues have us overwhelmed. How do we stay positive in the midst of it all? Or maybe we even ask, “should we stay positive in the midst of all of it?” Yes, we can and yes, we should.

I heard a podcast recently that related the specifics of a study done some time ago on positive attitudes.  Separate groups studied were asked to keep daily journals. One group was to journal all the positive things that happened while the other group was to journal negative things.  I’m sure it won’t surprise you what the impact on the attitudes of the participants was. In fact, I found myself wondering, “Do we really need a study to tell us the answer?” You guessed it. The group that journaled about positive things developed positive attitudes while the group that journaled the negative had more negative attitudes. Surprise. Surprise. Concentrating on the positive makes us more positive.

I’m not talking about thinking positively in order to get things selfishly. This isn’t a “name it, claim it” sort of thing. Still, the Bible does teach us to think about the positive. Paul the Apostle instructs Christians in Philippi to think about “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy.” (Php 4:8) So, if we’re still wondering about the “should” question we have biblical instruction to think about positive things. And that my friend, we intuitively know, is good for us.

One of the things I have come to love about the Bible is how practical it can be. In this case, if we spend time thinking about what is true, noble, right, pure, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy we have less time to think about all of the bad stuff that can overwhelm us. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that we should ignore what is going on in our lives and in our would. There are real issues that need to be addressed.  In fact, it would be good for us to remember that Paul’s instruction to think about good things was given in an environment of strife and anxiety.  We aren’t instructed to ignore the bad stuff. We just want to balance all the bad by remembering the good stuff.  Especially if we believe that “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” (Jms 1:17) When we do, we can keep things in balance and avoid being overwhelmed by the sense of “crazy.”

Naturally, as with many things, this might be easier said than done. The reality is that some of us have a tendency toward positive while others have a tendency to be more negative. Shocking I know! You never would have thought. So, while we all need help being more positive, some of us (true confession time – like me) need more help than others.

Here’s the thing though, if we are believers, we have much more to be positive about than we have to worry about. We just have to remember that. No matter how crazy the world seems. It doesn’t matter if the world seems to be “going to hell in a handbasket.” No matter how bad our personal situation is. Our reasons to be positive outweigh everything else. Everything we face here pales in significance to what we have to gain in Jesus. The Apostle Peter says it like this:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” (1 Pet 1:3-6)

Wow! What an amazing reminder. It is really pretty simple. We just need to choose. We can concentrate on all the bad in the world, and in our lives, or we can make hope our focus. Peter does not deny that there is rotten, terrible stuff going on in the world. The people he is writing to “suffer grief in all kinds of trials” but he reminds them it is “only for a little while.” In the midst of the difficulty Peter gives them, and us, a way to look beyond the grief. He reminds them of their hope. A hope “kept in heaven for you.” Whatever the difficulties in our world or our personal lives, our hope is in Jesus. Nothing can take that away.

Dave Foucar has a passion for teaching God’s word. His first book, “What Do I Say When Asked About Jesus?” is a conversational approach to helping people answer questions about Jesus. The book provides a layman’s perspective on personal evangelism and the basics of the Christian faith. Dave has been married for thirty-six years to the love of his life, Debbie. They have three daughters, two sons-in-law, and two granddaughters. To read more of David’s writing visit his Substack page.

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