Don't Bring Me Down...

We all know folks that always look at the glass as half empty. Maybe you are that someone. When talking about most anything, they see the negative and manage to tell everyone this slant. They may be people who have real problems and they may be people who just enjoy not enjoying. I'm not sure you can influence others to not be negative. But you sure can work on yourself. Life is not lived without pain and suffering. God gives us some pretty specific direction on how we are to view are life of pain and suffering: Paul talks of this in II Corinthians 12: 9-10 "And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Do you get it? God says we should take heart and joy in what life brings our way as a means to showing the world we still take joy in God who will reward us as His chosen children in Heaven. As a Christian, to do otherwise is to miss our chance to witness to the world that we rely on God as our strength and as our end result. To complain and see this world through negative eyes and mind is to show we are not really devoted to the mission God has laid before us.

In the work place, we often are met with many negative things and people. How we react is a measure of our faith that God will take care of us in time of need. It is not just putting on a good show but internally wondering, "Why Me?". You WILL be persecuted, have distresses, infirmities, and reproaches. You may even suffer physical problems or persecutions. You have a choice; we all do. Take the road to glorifying God or take the road to self pity. Christian, take up your armor of God's love and wrap it around you with joy. A joy that everyone can notice and emulate. God directs you to do no less.