Happy Wednesday to you!
Have you ever had an experience where you were down in the dumps and someone encouraged you to think happy thoughts? I mean, you were extremely angry or worried or sad, and the person urged you to remain positive. I can guess that the person also shared a few inspirational quotes to pacify you. Didn't he or she make you even more annoyed? You probably wanted to yell at the person, "How are positive thoughts going to solve my problems?" Well, trust that I know how you feel. Moreover, I am certain that many of us have been on both sides of the aforementioned scenario. We've been the pacifier and the irritated.
Today, I want to share why it is vital to declare positive affirmations during difficult circumstances. (I know. I know. I'm defending the pacifier. But, it's for a good reason.) During life's hardest moments, all we can see is the reality of our pain. We're hurt. We're stressed. The future is unknown. Therefore, all that we want people to do is acknowledge our devastation. Anything outside of acknowledgment feels like dismissal. Yet, beyond the reality of our circumstances, there is truth. The truth remains unaffected by our emotions or the facts of our circumstances. Many of us wonder in tumultuous instances, "What is the truth?"
For you to discover the truth, you have to study the Bible. The Bible declares the character of God from the first to the last page. Many people will inform you on their opinions of His character. However, to comprehend the depths of God's love, grace, mercy, and compassion, you would need to study His word daily. As you study the word of God, you will find that the reality of your pain is only part of the full story. The totality of the story is that God is aware of your brokenness, and His sole desire is to make you whole. In other words, God's character and His will for your life is truth.
So what does this truth have to do with your circumstances? What does it have to do with happy thoughts or inspirational quotes? Well, the truth of God's existence and character supersedes any inspirational quote anyone can recite to you. God's existence and character supersedes any dilemma you will ever face. Therefore, when you declare, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" your circumstances have to align to that truth. When you declare, "The Lord heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" your circumstances have to align to that truth. In other words, God's promises are not mere cliches to give you false hope. God's promises will always prevail over any circumstance. When you declare God's promises, you are simply aligning yourself with truth. The more you declare His promises, you will experience life and peace. So, the next time someone declares God's blessings over your life, don't shun them. Just say AMEN!