A Reflection on Positive Thinking
by LewisI think a lot about thinking. Or at least I think I do, although in thinking about that I know that my perspective may be just a little bit skewed. Part of the reason I think about thinking is that God has blessed me with a good mind, and on the journey of life I have discovered that having a good mind can overcome many other weaknesses — with which I have also been blessed.
I suppose that most any strength can do the same, so I don’t mean to elevate one gift over another, but I do want to share some things about thinking that may surprise you.
Many of us have heard stories of people with cancer, or some other potentially terminal illness, who “thought themselves well.” While such instances are rare, they have been documented. The “thinking healing” that always amazed me, though, was not life threatening at all — it was a cavity. The professional volleyball player who had the cavity was so shocked that she told her dentist he must be wrong. He responded by showing her the X-ray. She came back a week later to have the cavity repaired, but it was already gone. A new X-ray showed no signs of decay.
Athletes, actors, extraordinary business leaders, great wives (great husbands, too), and the very best Christians I know all practice the principles of positive thinking.
Conversely, the very reason many people don’t succeed in Christianity, in marriage, in sports, in business, and in life in general is that they think primarily in negative terms — what could go wrong?, who could be hurt?, how could I fail?, I’ll never be that good.
This is not some psycho-babble or pop-psychology, it is how we are made. The Bible says (Proverbs 23.7, KJV) “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” That is true for individuals, and it is also true for a church.
I’m positive.
P.S. The Bible also says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Romans 12.2). Imagine all of us doing that together!
September 4th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Good post.
I am a CPA and financial planner that specializes in helping families save money when making funeral arrangements. While the work can certainly be emotional, one of the greatest rewards is that each day I reminded just how precious life is.
I help people save money when making funeral arrangements. They need me.
They help me pay attention to what’s more important in life. I need them.
It’s a choice I make. I could choose to focus on the mundane, negative, or emotionally-draining aspects of my day, but I choose to focus on the positve, uplifting aspects. It makes my work, and life, more meaningful.
Mike…from http://www.funeral-tips.com.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Dear Lewis,
For more than a year I’ve had Google download on me whatever got published the day before on the subject of “Positive Thinking.” Much of it is marginal.
I’ve collected a lot of wistful wannabe stuff that misses totally the actual reasons God gave us a PT gift in the first place. It is refreshing to find a silver thread of sanity — like yours — running through today’s download.
For 18 years (216 months) I flew to New York to spend 2 days each month working with Dr. Norman Vincent Peale (and Ruth, his wife) on projects and appeal letters that would raise the money they needed to run their several spiritual charities. They had been at it 25 years when I came along, and had raised $1 million only once, two years before I came.
In our 18 years we raised a grand total of close to $250 million — and they did a mighty work with it! (For NVP never took a penny of the funds for himself or his family. All was devoted to the causes we promoted.)
I’m shortly to be on the Web regularly myself. You may want to look for an RSS when I do. Meanwhile Google “Gaylord Briley” (use the quotes) on the Web and check me out. Or look for a book I wrote which recently was selling on Amazon and eBay for as much as $150 to $200 (vs its normal price of $13!) Some few thousand copies vanished from my distributor’s hands and suddenly were selling in the UK, Germany, France and who-knows-where else, for outrageous sums! The title: “Pray & Grow Rich.” No “The Secret” sort of content either. The book explores the entire Biblical basis of Positive Thinking.
If you need a copy, I can send one. Blessings on you!
Gaylord Briley, director
The Christian Motivational Ministry