Do you have a negative person in your life? Someone who \u201cgives free reign to\u2026complaint\u201d and \u201cspeaks out in bitterness\u201d (Job 10: 1)? How do you handle that person?<\/p>\n
First of all, it\u2019s important to emphasize that, if the unhappiness is chronic, overwhelming and deep-seated, you should urge the individual to get counseling or other professional assistance. Someone suffering from clinical depression is ill and needs a trained therapist and possibly medical help.<\/p>\n
But if the negativity is a matter of habitual attitude rather than illness, then try these strategies to help lead the pessimist toward a more positive view of things. <\/p>\n
1. Look first to yourself.<\/strong> When you have cleared your own mind of negativity, fill it with thought of God and verses of Scripture that give hope, such as: \u201cYou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you\u201d (Isaiah 26:3); \u201cWith God all things are possible\u201d (Matthew 19:26); and \u201cIf God is for us, who can be against us?\u201d (Romans 8:31).<\/p>\n This exercise should be repeated whenever you feel yourself slipping into negativity.<\/p>\n 2. Model a positive outlook.<\/strong> 3. Strengthen and share your faith.<\/strong> This, of course, takes courage. Pray for the Holy Spirit to empower you to speak about your faith \u201cwith all boldness and without hindrance\u201d (Acts 28:31). Look for an opportunity to share with your negative friend the truth that God intends only ultimate good for us. The Bible says so in no uncertain terms. “\u2018I know the plans I have for you,\u2019 declares the LORD, \u2018plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future\u2019\u201d (Jeremiah 29:11).<\/p>\n 4. Pray for the person.<\/strong> Do you have a negative person in your life? Someone who \u201cgives free reign to\u2026complaint\u201d and \u201cspeaks out in bitterness\u201d (Job 10: 1)? How do you handle that person? First of all, it\u2019s important to emphasize that, if the unhappiness is chronic, overwhelming and deep-seated, you should urge the individual to get counseling or other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":30507,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[396],"tags":[198,189,44,49,248,14],"ppma_author":[639],"class_list":["post-23734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-deepen-your-faith","tag-brother","tag-church","tag-courage","tag-peace","tag-scripture","tag-spiritual-growth"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nBefore you can convince anyone else to be more optimistic, you need to root out all negativity in yourself. \u201cHow can you say to your brother, \u2018Let me take the speck out of your eye,\u2019 when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?\u201d Jesus said. \u201cYou hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother\u2019s eye\u201d (Matthew 7: 4-5).<\/p>\n
\nThe positive person refrains from gossip, complaining, criticism, angry outbursts, hopeless statements\u2014even such seemingly harmless ones as gripes about how bad the weather is or how discouraging the news. Instead, he or she is an example of kindness, good humor, patience, generosity, hopefulness. This kind of person makes everyone he or she meets feel better. Take the Apostle Paul\u2019s advice and speak about \u201cwhatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable\u2026excellent or praiseworthy\u201d (Philippians 4:8).<\/p>\n
\n\u201cPreach the gospel,\u201d St. Francis of Assisi is reported to have said, \u201cand, if necessary, use words.\u201d Of course, a positive example goes only so far; if someone has never heard the Good News about how Christ changes lives, then we believers are called to share it. Choose your opportunity tactfully and let your negative friend know about your beliefs and the Bible\u2019s promises. Invite him or her to your church to experience a Christian welcome.<\/p>\n
\nThe best thing to do for a negative person is to pray for him or her. This may come easily for you if that person is a personal friend\u2014but Jesus commanded us to go further and pray for our enemies. Be \u201cfaithful in prayer\u201d (Romans 12:12) as you seek to help lift someone from the throes of negativity into the power of positive thinking.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"