attitudes are contagious

Everyone has days where negativity completely absorbs them; I think it’s fair to say that it’s normal. We all go through events and situations where we want to give up and give in. We want to get angry and stay angry, we want to cry and keep crying... negativity has nothing good about it... nothing. I’m not talking about ‘venting’ or ‘letting it all out’, what I mean is, it is so dangerous to allow negativity to blur your vision and affect everything in your life... because it will if you allow it too...

I have to say, I’m not sure how Christians can allow themselves to be so completely negative about life, the world, or anything really... I guess it depends on what you’re living for, what you feel your purpose is and how you see God. We all struggle, we all feel hurt and down, we all give things up and lose things, we deal with A LOT in life – but to allow ourselves to be brought down by all the negative and then to just dwell in it... I don’t think that is what God intended for anyone... The bible says SO much about being Joyful – in the good and bad times – no matter what, be joyful... why? Because we serve an amazing God who has so much love and purpose for each and every single one of us. Be joyful because He has a plan, He has poured His grace out, He is our healer and redeemer. He gives us what we stand in need of... how can we worship a God so amazing with a negative heart?

Psalm 100 “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is good. It is He who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

People always say ‘no one wants to be around someone who is always negative about everything’... I think it’s very true. I remember at one point in my life, I was always negative about something – I looked for stuff to complain about – I always had something to say to darken the bright faces in the room... after awhile I began to realize that if I kept it up – people wouldn’t want to be around me anymore. I can understand that we all have to vent and let loose sometimes, we all have to talk and be honest about the ‘not-so-good’ things in life. But to dwell on them will burden your heart... and it WILL affect you. It will steal your God-given joy! We were created to worship, to serve, to love, to be God’s hands and feet – we have purpose from our God - that should give us joy. We have a God who is always with us even when we fall – that should give us joy. We all have blessings even though at times they can be hard to see, we have so much – that should give us joy. We have so much to offer, to share, to give – that should bring us joy.

Sometimes life throws stuff at us that brings us down – but to stay negative is a choice. We have so much to live for – God... I don’t believe for one second that God desires for us to live negative lives... negativity closes off your heart to so much... God wants your heart to be open for Him... what will you choose? Attitudes are contagious.  Are yours worth catching?