Mind Over Matter!

You don’t have to look too far to find books and sermons about how to get everything you want in life by simply thinking the right thoughts and/or speaking the right words. The philosophies of Positive and Possibility Thinking, Positive Imaging, Word of Faith, the “Law of Attraction” (from The Secret) and even The Little Engine that Could have become extremely popular in the last fifty years. In some cases, everything from getting that special mate, job, car or house to overcoming depression can be attained through your rightly focused thoughts, words and endeavors. Basically it all boils down to applying just a little more personal, human effort.

There may be some validity to some aspects of those things; some may have been helped (at least temporarily) by that stuff. Success stories garner loyal legions. Hey, if you can have everything you want by simply thinking good thoughts, speaking the right words, or practicing a better attitude, most would say, “Sign me up!” And many, even Christians, do indeed sign up.

Some gigantic churches today are filled each Sunday with those who have made God little more than their “Aladdin.” As long as they can be convinced that their wishes are within reach, they’ll show up to rub the lamp, again and again. The mere suggestion from the “preacher” that material blessings are about to be unleashed by a slight tweaking of their attitudes, brings frequent applause from the salivating crowd.

Don’t fall for that stuff. It is pervasive today. Sadly, you can hardly watch Christian TV without seeing some form of these philosophies, wrapped in spiritual terms. I heard one popular preacher recently assert, “I believe God Himself will anoint you to reap a mighty harvest of your physical, spiritual and financial needs.” How? Just order one of his specially “anointed prayer cloths.” Do they still do that? Yes, they do. Do people fall for it? Absolutely.

Insinuating that everything is supposed to be peachy for the Christian that thinks and speaks rightly is not quite biblical. As much as the hucksters would like to (and do) twist the Scriptures to support their pop-psych version of God and faith, examples to the contrary abound. The Apostle Paul had at least one major physical ailment and at times he was likely flat broke. Where were those anointed prayer cloths when Paul needed them?

And what about King David; was he just a faithless whiner? Talk about problems! Among his enemies was his own son! Some kids rebel by getting a tattoo. Absalom led a coup d’état, against his dad! Nonetheless, David never relies upon, “I think I can…I think I can…” nor does he pine for a Barnes & Noble in order to bone up on how to turn his wishes into reality through sheer optimism. Instead, he describes his circumstances realistically—they’re bad!

It would be nice if by thinking happy thoughts all our troubles would go away. But, that would fly in the face of one of Jesus’ less popular promises: “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV). After that statement, Jesus doesn’t go on to give seven steps to avoiding trouble. He doesn’t blame the listeners’ deficient faith or lack of positive declarations for the troubles they have. He states it as a fact; a fact followed by another all-important, indispensible fact: “But take heart! I have overcome the world” (ibid.).
David lived 1,000 years before Christ became flesh and dwelt among us, but he seemed to get Jesus’ point anyway. David obviously felt overcome by his circumstances at times (e.g., Psalm 13:1-4). Then he uses that word; a word that Jesus used. It’s the word in Scripture that so often delineates the difference between our woes and God’s wonders. It is a word of transition, translated into English as “but.” “But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation” (Psalm 13:5 NKJV, emphasis added).
So, when circumstances seem to pile up against you, who ya gonna trust—your thoughts, or the Creator of your brain? There is nothing wrong with “choosing to look on the bright side.” However, sometimes even the bright side looks dark. In the end, there’s only one true Source of Light. Ultimately, life only makes sense when we realize that He is the bright side.

“ Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” ─Habakkuk 3:18