Building People. Spreading Hope.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Remeber the Good


Life has a way of draining us. If we’re not proactive, negative thoughts dictate our lives. When we actively seek to remember the good, the positive experiences of life will override the negatives.

Brain science tells us that our negative experiences occupy more of our brain space than our positive ones. Knowing this, we have to make a conscious effort to remember the good things and start vocalizing them. When we speak our positive experiences out loud, we reinforce our brain to keep positive memories in the forefront of our minds. This is extremely important because our lives follow our thoughts.

I heard of a young couple who was having trouble in their relationship. The counselor asked them to write down their negatives of each other. The wife was very excited for an opportunity to share her frustrations. She made a long list of complaints about her husband. On the day of disclosure, the wife went through her long list of grievances about her husband. She felt good to let her husband know. When it came time for her husband to share, she was blown away by his one line statement. It said “I love and like you just the way you are!” Truth is, human beings have more in common than we tend to realize. None of us have it 100%. Let’s focus on the 80% that’s good and overlook the 20% that’s not so good. Let’s magnify what’s good in each other.

When we remember the good, we attract more of God’s blessings in our lives. This is what the children of Israel did. Every time God did a miracle for them, they established a memorial stone unto God. They were nomadic back then. Every time they passed that way again, they were reminded of God’s mighty miracles in their lives. They understood the principle that if they were not proactive about remembering the good, life’s negatives would override their perceptions automatically.

Many people have a difficult time remembering the good that was once a miracle in their lives. Let me help you remember how God brought that beautiful women into your life. Remember when your children were born. Let us remember how God gave you that dream job. Do you remember the day you walked into your first home? Do you remember how God healed you of that dreaded disease? Remember the day you got saved. Friend, let us remember God’s mighty works in our lives!

Getting started on remembering the good is the hardest part. Once you shift your mindset, it’s not so hard to produce a long list of things to be grateful about. In my daily prayer walks, I regularly remind God of the 20-30 major things He has done in my life. I start with the day I was born. I remind God how He gave me an upbringing at the orphanage. I remind God of the day I graduated from high school and college. You may think these are ordinary things but for most of us, what is ordinary today was once a miracle. Let us not forget and take time to remind God of His mighty deeds. While you’re remembering the good, don’t forget to express your gratitude to your loved ones, co-workers, clients, neighbors, and others who have enriched your life. When we magnify the good, our differences will minimize automatically.

When we remember God’s mighty works in the past, we fuel our faith to believe God for the current impossible in our lives. Before young David defeated Goliath, he first recalled and verbally recited all the previous victories. He remembered how God empowered him to kill a lion and a bear. In the book of Psalms, he reminded God how He brought water out of a rock and how He parted the red seas. Is it any wonder that David’s life was highlighted by God’s favor!

If you’re facing a difficult situation in your life today, be like David. Remind God of the things He has already done for you. Don’t focus on how big your problem is, focus on how big your God is. If God helped you once, He will do it again. Don’t nag. Instead, brag about what He has done in the past. It’s not so much our circumstances but our attitude in how we respond to them that will change our situation. Today in America, we remember God’s goodness in our lives. Let us not just stop there; give thanks to God as a lifestyle. When we do, we’ll see more of His goodness and favor unleashed upon our lives. I love you and thank God for you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…” (Psalm 103:2 ESV).

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