Who, specifically, has captured your interest and inspired you? Someone who cares deeply about their work is usually the one who succeeds. Her enthusiasm ignites everyone around her and fills the space. She has a way of inspiring confidence in you whenever she speaks. Anything! You feel compelled to stay close to her, hoping her spirit may transfer to you.
How do you break out of a rut when you’re unhappy with your job or other circumstances? How can one infuse their lives with renewed vigor and optimism? How can you discover why you matter in this world? How can you break the cycle of self-pity and negativity?
There are a few things we need to do to shift our mindset. Attitude is a choice, so the first step is to accept that. The appropriate attitude can alter our perspective even though external circumstances remain unchanged. Even though our rational minds warn us not to, we have adopted a more positive outlook. How often do we believe what the enemy says about us instead of what God says? Thoughts can come rapidly; we can only have one at a time. Therefore, we can prevent negative thoughts from taking over by focusing on the promises of God. When we consciously decide to trust God and behave appropriately, our new mindset becomes firmly established in our hearts.
Second, once we correct our erroneous assumptions, our new outlook will stick with us forever. Sometimes we give in to the bad vibes we get from ruminating on our negativity because, surprisingly enough, it feels lovely. Some of us have been psychologically punishing ourselves for so long that we no longer know how to think about things differently. We buy into these falsehoods and do nothing to verify their integrity.
If we are serious about making a difference, we must accept accountability for our minds. Everything must be done to learn the truth about ourselves as God sees us. Instead of seeking validation from the approval of others, we look to God. God made us and gave us hope for a bright future. Yet there are times when our actions are required to realize these promises. When we find a promise from God, we must examine the verses around it to see whether there is a condition God has set before He will fulfill the contract.
Reading the Bible regularly has a profound effect on our sense of self-worth. We learn that God’s love for us is limitless and everlasting. God’s love is freely given to us; we must do nothing to deserve it. We can love others similarly when we have experienced God’s unconditional love for ourselves.
Third, we tend to emulate the company we keep. Whether we like it or not, we become like the five individuals we spend the most time with. However, there is One we may associate with whose positive outlook will outweigh the destructive ones we’re exposed to daily. This is the true God. We can maintain healthy perspectives by devoting more time to Bible study, prayer, and meditation, in which we ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand spiritual truths. This is fantastic news since it means we can get started immediately rather than waiting to locate upbeat friends.
The fourth step is to figure out what fires us up so that we can put that energy to good use every day. Even if we can’t make a living doing something we love, we may still find methods to do it more frequently and reap the positive emotional benefits.
The first thing we need to do is pray for God to show us why He made us. There’s no need for this to be an essential factor. All of humanity works together for God’s ultimate good. No matter how big or modest your goal is, it will become part of a bigger image when combined with the plans of others.
Finding and regularly engaging in our passion can profoundly affect our outlook. What we have learned from God takes root in our minds and hearts when we put it into practice. As a byproduct, much of our underlying sense of self-pity evaporates. But I think it’s essential to operate regularly in our interest, so I recommend doing it once a week.
A personal example follows. I realized I was passionate about spreading God’s love and assisting others in their need. Even though I didn’t (and don’t!) I started helping out at a Christian distress hotline as a lay counselor. I began when I was experiencing a severe depressive episode, among other difficulties. But within four months, everything changed dramatically, and I was no longer depressed. The suddenness of the shift caught me off guard. I was motivated to keep picking the appropriate mindset by my forward momentum.
One of the ways I kept going when things became tough was by volunteering once a week. A significant example is that I opted to volunteer on Saturday nights when I was at my weakest. I eventually signed up for a second shift to help during an additional sensitive time.
God gradually shaped my perspective of what He wanted me to perform for His glory while I spent years providing crisis counseling. I now devote my time to writing books that show readers how to put biblical teachings into practice. My work is in line with the kinds of things that interest other people, too. We can change the world for Christ if we work together.
If you want to make a difference in the world for God’s glory, I urge you to make good decisions, discover the truths God has revealed about who you are in Christ, spend more time with God than with negative people, and discover your passion in life.
Patented in 2005 K. Williamson, Kathryn
To aid others in overcoming their struggles and finding God’s will for their lives, Kathy Williamson shares biblical ideas through her teachings. You may find her book, lessons, and ezine on her website.
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