Focus on Adding in the Good

It is better to add good things then try to take away bad things.

I doubt it would come as a surprise to anyone who knows me but I am a bit of a soda addict. I have stopped drinking soda so many times (and started up again) I have lost count. Until recently...I just decided to change my focus. Instead of trying to stop my favorite bad habit, I decided to pick up a good one. I began to drink water. It is the funniest thing. When I drink water, I crave soda less. I still have soda on occasion, it's true. Someday I would like to eliminate it fully but if I continue to drink water I am better off. I am healthier and better able to say "no" to the liquid that can only bring hazard to my life.

I believe this concept can work in many other ways.

I also have a fast food problem sometimes. Well, guess what - when I take the time to go to my new favorite store - Trader Joe's and make proper food choices - I spend more time eating healthy energizing foods as opposed to eating food that includes empty, fattening, calories that only drag my energy level down. Fast food is really not appetizing when you have other yummy healthy options available!

The other night, I was having trouble and focusing only on the negative things and feeling pretty awful. Due to this, I was unable get a handle on focusing on the important things. I felt 100% completely inadequate as a person and lost in a disarray of emotions. All those bundled up feelings of emotions can leave you pretty useless. I tried reading the Bible but all I could find was more ways I wasn't measuring up. Honestly, I didn't look too hard because it was difficult to focus at the time. I ended up talking to one of my wisest friends who told me that I was shopping for the wrong pieces of identity. Here I was looking to different aspects of life to decide if I had worth or value. I looked at my job performance, how I perceived people's interactions with me, past interactions, my own definition of success, etc. etc. He advised that it was as if I was shopping and picking out the wrong things to look at. (1 can of the importance of people's perceptions here, a bushel of monetary success, etc) It really hit me pretty hard considering I've been learning how to pick out the RIGHT things in other aspects of life.

Later that evening, I decided to look and see what Jesus would say. Reading through some of John, I saw my Lord loving so many people and sharing Himself (ultimately sacrificing Himself) for the sake of the people He loved. While focusing on Jesus, I realized this really is where my identity lies. Because He didn't just love people in a book but He loves me! He also tells me of the Father's love for me. And Jesus didn't lay heavy loads on people prior to offering His love. He offered the gift completely free to those who were willing to come. I was on the edge of my seat witnessing his interactions with Mary and Martha, Lazarus, the Disciples, the large crowds, and Zacchaeus. When focusing on Jesus, I can see what He sees. I got to thinking about how the gospel writer John formed his identity - "the disciple whom Jesus loved". I'm pretty sure with that kind of personal identity - he didn't get too caught up on what other people thought or his failings. Jesus knew Him in His failings and loved Him. The best thing about finding out what Jesus thought about me is that all my misplaced worries dissipated and those waves of emotions suddenly looked like tiny ripples in comparison to the truths that were revealed. I guess that's what happens when we focus on the good.

I share this with all of you for one reason. We are in a fix it/self-improvement/make it BIGGER AND BETTER kind of culture. As we are doing this, we can get trapped into focusing on the negatives. I believe we will find the freedom and strength we need to preserve and push forward when focusing on the positives. So whether it's that annoying co-worker who gets you down (try seeing the positives in them and striking up a friendship) or maybe it's the pile of bills (but you just got an extra $20 and what a help that will be)! I don't know what may be getting you down, but instead of trying to get rid of that nasty bad habit, or focusing on what you are not or what you don't have, try adding in something good. And more importantly, I really do want to encourage you to get to know Jesus Christ. His love for you is the most beautiful gift any of us have ever been offered and deserves our attention. In a world where we are constantly told we need the next best thing to be enough, His love truly stands out as the water we all so desperately need and crave.



Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man-can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval. John 6:27b NLT