Fill Your New Year With Optimism - Seven Strategies to Attain Optimism—Part 1

Fill Your New Year With Optimism 

Seven Strategies to Attain Optimism—Part 1

Are you ready for positive news? Do you yearn for relief from negativity?

Let’s begin this new year beaming with optimism. I’m not just thinking about feel-good ideals and clichés—but holding on to truth-filled hope and an outlook ordained by God. 

Consider the source of genuine optimism and strategies for taking hold of it.

God desires for each of us to have a good life experience, both now and into eternity. Jesus came for that purpose. He said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10 NKJV).

Peter affirmed this when he wrote, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:2-4 NKJV).

As followers of Jesus, we have every reason to be optimistic and He has given us the means by which to be so. 

With our sights on abundant life and with Peter’s encouragement in mind, consider these Seven Strategies to Attain Optimism:

1- Get over the past.

 

Don’t take negative aspects of your past into your future. What would be the benefit of dragging it along? Nothing! What would be the benefit of getting over those things? Everything!

Paul nailed it when he said: “But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14 NKJV).

Besides putting past negatives behind us we also need to press on. We must avoid resting on past glories and we can learn from and build on former successes. We who are in Christ have His Spirit living in us and are to reflect His image. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” 2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV).

From one level of glory to another we shall travel through life, serving our Lord, each doing our part in the building of His Kingdom. Let’s build on past victories as we move forward to greater accomplishments in Jesus name. And let’s not allow shadows and skeletons from the past diminish the optimistic outlook of God’s plan for each of us.

2- Avoid getting hung up on a negative thing.

 

Is there something you or I perceive as a negative personal trait or characteristic? It might be in regard to appearance or personality. Perhaps it’s our age or family background. Do we think God is not aware of these matters? 

He knew well before you and I that this would be a part of our lives at this moment in time. Is this something we could and should change? If so, we can ask God to help and show us the way to overcome.

If it’s something we cannot change we can ask Him to take it and use it for His glory. Our Creator is an expert at bringing good from things we perceive as bad.

We must remember “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose … What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:28, 31).

Any personal flaw is not too much for our Creator to deal with. Let’s let God have His way and get ready to be amazed, in no way allowing such a thing to impede our optimism. 

3- Remember that, for everyone, life has ups and downs.  

The exciting adventures and lovely photos we see on Facebook and Instagram do not tell a person’s whole story.

We didn’t witness the bitter argument the dreamy couple had just before stepping barefoot onto the sandy beach for their photo-shoot. Nor did we see their children arguing and pulling hair on the way to that serine tropical setting.

Be assured that God knows all, sees all, and cares about all things that concern us. Our trials do not escape His watchful eye. Very often our greatest setbacks take place right before our greatest victories.

Let’s be encouraged by Jesus’ words: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NKJV).

His words should give lift us into the realm of optimism because our overcoming Lord gives us the power to overcome as well.

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So, let’s take heart as we meditate on the above Scripture Passages and the first three of the Seven Strategies to Attain Optimism. Be assured that God wants us to live joy-filled lives, unhindered by pessimistic thoughts and anxieties.

Please check back in a few days to learn more of the strategies. May God richly bless you in your own pathway to attaining Christ-ordained optimism.

Your comments are welcome.

©Copyright 2018 Connie Wohlford

A Lamp – Life is like that sometimes. (3)

Part 2.  A Lamp – Life is like that sometimes. (3)                              

We continue with RiSiKiLi−

                       You know− Read it, Study it, Know it, Live it.  

Have you ever felt as if you were stumbling around in a dark wilderness? <> Life is like that sometimes.

 

When God directed Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, He literally illuminated their way with a pillar of fire through the night. 

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people (Exodus 13:21-22).

The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire were the manifest

presence of God showing the multitude the way through the wilderness. They didn’t have the written Word back then, other than the tablets with God’s Commandments. 

 

In like manner, the Word of God is the manifest presence of God for us today, showing the way through the wilderness called life. Yes, we have the Holy Spirit guiding us as well, but without knowledge of the Word, it’s hard to correctly discern the voices that may speak into our souls and spirits. 

I once heard this description of a person without God or knowledge of the Bible: It would be like a blind man in an unfamiliar pitch black dark room, looking for a black cat that is not there.  How undone is that?!  

Every life will bring its share of difficulties. To face trials time and time again without the hope of Christ and the light of His Word would certainly be a frustrating and futile existence. Oh, things may go smooth for a while but we can bet that one day the hammer’s gonna to fall. 

For the discouraged man or woman, the psalmist writes, Oh, send Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the alter of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God (Psalm 43:3-4 NKJV). 

 

The psalmist is fervently acknowledging the need for God. And he’s appealing for the light and truth that comes from God. Then when this is achieved, he knows he will have experienced God Himself−referring to God as my exceeding joy. He will then gratefully praise Him. 

Today let’s praise God for the light of His Word that helps us navigate through the wilderness areas of life. Yesterday’s horrific killings of two young journalists in my own state has pitched many people into a wilderness experience.

When we turn to God’s Word to help us navigate through such trauma, we’ll be stronger when we come out on the other side. And as we allow the Holy Spirit to comfort as only He can, we can find peace.

Please pray with me that God will take this tragic and evil event and use it for His glory in the building of His Kingdom. Only God can do such a thing. And let’s pray that in our own wilderness experiences we’ll turn to God’s Word and to Him in prayer as a first resort.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today and may God abundantly bless you as you seek to know Him better and allow His Word to help you navigate through the wilderness of life.

 

Let's end today's thought and do as the psalmist. Let's praise our God as we enjoy this beautiful song from Psalm 43:3-6 "To God, My Exceeding Joy" <>   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhxmNOGII5k

©Connie Wohlford