How to Walk Away from Negativity

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Looking to be more positive? Need a how to? Then try these steps for ways to walk away from negativity.

Don’t worry about anything – That includes the opinions of others. 

Instead, pray about everything – If it bothers you, if you’re anxious, if it upsets you . . . God wants you to talk with Him about it. 

Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done – He knows what you need, but wants you to turn to Him and stop trying to do it all yourself. Thanking Him helps you remember all He’s done in the past. He is faithful and will give you what you need (even if it’s not what you want) now. 

Then you will experience God’s peace – A perfect peace. Peace based on faith, hope, and trust in His love. 

Which exceeds anything we can understand – It’s impossible to understand or explain, but when you and I have that peace we know it is a gift of His grace. Why?

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus – Because we won’t worry when our hearts and minds are covered with God’s peace. 

 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.

It’s important.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

The above are verses 6–8 of Philippians 4. Do you know what Paul wrote in verse 2?

 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement.

That’s right.

Two women who were workers for Christ in their church. We don’t know what they were arguing about, but we do know it was a big enough problem that Paul, who was 800 miles away in Rome, heard about it. And they didn’t have the internet.

Arguing is nothing new. Jealousy, anger, frustration, and fighting are as old as the first brothers, Cain and Abel. But I love that Paul tells them to work it out . . . to settle their disagreement. Even if they had to agree to disagree. And don’t you love how he tells them to do it…

Quit worrying. Pray—tell God what you need and thank Him for what He has done. Know His peace—a peace that protects your heart and mind.

How?

Keep your thoughts on things that are:

True – Accurate and trustworthy.

Honorable – Building reputations not tearing down.

Right – Fair and just.

Pure – Clean and uncontaminated.

Lovely – Beautiful and pleasant.

Admirable – Respectable and good.

Excellent and Worthy of Praise – Wonderful and God-pleasing.

In our sin-filled world it’s impossible to keep our thoughts positive 24/7. On social media it’s even harder. We can’t help it. Can we? There’s so much flying by. Things presented as truth that we later learn is less than accurate. Posts of vacations and super-children that make us envious. Blog fan pages that are more popular and we’re jealous.

What’s the answer?

Prayer. Thanksgiving. The discipline to know when to take a break from social media and think about something else. Something positive. Something excellent.

There’s one more command that ties it all together.

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon! Philippians 4:4–5

What helps you when social media is driving you crazy? How do you help your children?

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8 Comments

  1. Focusing on WHO God is helps me. Praying, reading His Word, worshiping Him and sometime just sitting in silence- knowing I am loved, that I am His.

    1. That’s really what we do when we take our thoughts captive isn’t it. Remind ourselves with the Spirit’s help that it is not about me. It’s about glorifying and serving the Lord. Thanks TC. Blessings!

  2. Amen to all of this, Deb. You can’t resolve things by focusing solely on the problem. God offers us prayer, encouragement, and renewed minds as a gift to combat the very things we can’t see. Thanks so much.

    1. He is always so much greater than our current circumstances. Oh the blessing of His grace and mercy.

  3. Deb, you have hit on such an important truth here. We can get sucked into the negative and hurtful things people hurl at us on social media. It’s taken me some time, but I’ve learned to turn to God for help in relieving me from the anger and hurt when those I thought were friends, that we could agree to disagree, decided my views were the cause to terminate the friendship. One, whom I’d known from college days, hurt the most. But, I continue to pray for her and feel better in my heart for it. May we all trust the Lord to help us let go of the negative and embrace the positive love He offers.
    Blessings!

    1. Oh, I understand Martha. I’ve had friends walk away. Several to whom I was very close. It does hurt. But I have learned to trust God’s grace and wisdom, and look to Him for the positive in my life without letting either define me. In and through Him alone.

  4. NIMMI SHARMA says:

    god is our strength! full of positivity