Articles
Our View of Life
How do we view life? Our view of life makes all the difference in the world. It determines how our day will go, how our year will go, how our life will go. It may say more about me than others, but isn’t there too much “Stinkin’ thinkin’” (Zig Ziglar)?
When we fill our day with grumbling, moaning and complaining, whose spirit are we revealing (Phil. 2:14)? Children of light must not be that way. We have every reason not to complain, gripe or fuss. Yes our world is chaotic, but that does not mean my mind and my life have to be chaotic. We can be at peace because we have the peace of God that passes understanding. With God’s peace we can change how we think. We can think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8). As we meditate on those things we will have the peace of God. Because we have taken everything that makes us anxious to Him and offered Him thanksgiving, our minds can be clear to meditate on these things.
I do get anxious; it is one of my many weaknesses. I can so easily see the dark side of things. I have found when I do that, it is because I have started listening to the “Discourager,” Satan. He wants to distract me, change my attention, and help me think on things that are destructive to my soul. He is only interested in using me, not building me.
On the other hand, when I listen to the Comforter and then allow His peace to control me, I am encouraged and able to encourage others. I can then see that, even though there are dark things in this world, He is the light and I can see clearly because He is the light unto my feet and the lamp unto my path.
I know there are a lot of negative things in our lives. We are not the exception, however. That has been true of people ever since the fall from God. If all I ever see are the possibilities of things that can go wrong, how will I ever be an encourager to others? How will God’s comfort flow through me?
So, how do we view life? Life viewed from the God who comforts offers hope and peace. Life viewed from despair and Satan offers discouragement and self-destruction. We can live with one. We will be destroyed by the other.
Rickie
