A New Look on Life, For a New Year
January can be a very depressing month especially since we are coming down from the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Winter sets in, the nights seem longer, the days dreary....life slows down. We lack the motivation to go into the New Year with great expectations. The spirit of depression can easily come upon us. We crave a new season, one full of life and color and not the darkness that January seems to bring.
However, God is full of light and he continues to shine brightly even in the darkness. As His children, we should never feel helpless, depressed or lonely. We should look at each day as another opportunity to shine. Our lack of motivation is a stumbling block that the devil places in our way to put a halt to our happiness and joy.
At the time of this writing, it is day 11 of the New Year. I have let myself be a victim of satan's deception.
He has stolen my joy.
He has allowed circumstances beyond my control leave a bad taste in my mouth toward other people.
He has allowed disappointment to overshadow a situation.
He has prompted negative thoughts to replace positive ones.
Do I need to go on? It's always easier to see the bad instead of the good so let's change that immediately. Joy is limitless, life defining, transformative. It's a reservoir waiting to be tapped into BUT it is a choice....your choice. Circumstances beyond your control? There is nothing we can do about it. Let it GO!!!!! Why waste precious time worrying about it when you can be using it as a opportunity. You can control your attitude, approach and response. Make a situation better. Negative thoughts overtaking your mind? Stop the negative process before it starts. Take responsibility for your thought life. Make the effort to be a ray of sunshine instead of a dark cloud of gloom. If you give into negative thoughts, it can turn into a cancer of ugliness. A small positive thought cam blossom into beauty. Disappointed? Your expectations about someone or something were not satisfied? Maybe you need to adjust your expectations. Romans 8:28 states "and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him who have been called according to his purpose". Philippians 4:11 "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances"....It is not a sin to feel disappointed and to express that emotion BUT express it to God. Sometimes expressing it to other people can bring more feelings of disappointment.
We all have challenges that we face daily and it is not always going to be easy but if we learn to lean upon the Lord and embrace the life that he desires for us to have, we are going to make it.
Take time to enjoy life...good and bad. Never waste it. Each day is a gift, God's gift to you. It certainly cost a huge price.
