June 23, 2021 — Misery Loves Company

“You seem to be a pretty positive person,” I said to Stan one morning. “You always been that way?”

“You ever hear the expression, ‘misery loves company’?” He responded.

“Sure have,” I replied, “but that doesn’t answer my question.”

“I’m getting there,” Stan said with a smile. “I grew up in a very negative environment, especially with my dad. He didn’t have a whole lot of positive things to say about anything or anyone, and I think it was because he was basically miserable. I grew up thinking that’s the way I was supposed to think: focus on the negative.”

“But that changed at some point?” I asked.

“It did, gradually,” he replied. “And I think there was and is a direct correlation between that and my relationship with God.  As I’ve said before, I did not grow up in a Christian home, but when I came to faith I began to see how much positive there is to see, if I will only look and focus on it.”

“How so?” I asked.

“Simple example,” Stan replied.  “Life eternally with God when it’s time. What could possibly be more positive than that?  As well, the absolute positive of being able to know God the Father and Jesus the Son in an ever-deepening personal relationship while I’m on this side of eternity. Talk about positive!”

“But,” I said, “there’s a lot of stuff in the world that can drag us down and lead us to think negatively.”

“That’s true,” Stan replied, “but just look at the source of that; who is it that wants us not to focus on all of the positive God has for us?”

“Well,” I said, “I suppose it’s Satan and all of his minions.”

“Good supposition!” Stan exclaimed. “And I think all of the negativity that Satan temps me to express and live falls into the same category of all of the other temptations that can be resisted.”

“It seems to me,” he concluded, “that Satan is really miserable knowing what’s going to happen to him in the end, and I just need to choose not to be in the company of him who is and wants me to be miserable!”

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Bible verses to consider: 

He who has a crooked mind finds no good. Proverbs 17:20

If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature, the old things passed away; behold new things have come.  2 Corinthians 5:17.

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33.

Prayer:  Thank you, Father, for all of the positives you have provided to me. The positive of being able to spend eternity in your presence when it is time. The positive of being able to draw ever closer to you and know you and Jesus while you keep me on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I allow the negativity of the world to influence all of the positive you have freely and graciously provided. Please forgive me. And please help me in following every step of you lead into a life that reflects and manifests all of the positives you have for me to think, speak, and do. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Which type of person would you rather be around, a positive or a negative one? Why? Which do you tend to be? What is the source of that? If you tend to be negative in your outlook and would like to change, how can that change occur? Do you have the positive outlook that you are going to spend eternity in God’s presence? If no, why? What is standing in the way? Do you know it is a free and gracious gift from God that is available to be accepted by faith? What possibly could be more positive, for now and for eternity?