Ever watched someone have a bad meltdown? Was it you? I’ve had some and I can tell you stories. Life can become uncertain on a whim. There we are laughing and living it up and, BAM, worries. A great day can become ruined in the blink of an eye. That is life. I’m sure most of us have either heard this or have personal experiences with life going sideways. While the events and circumstances we face can seem daunting, they’re not impossible to manage.
Positive thoughts are terrible things to waste. Our lives can become so packed with useless activity that it throws our thoughts out the window. Personally, I’d rather spend my days thinking about what the Lord has done for us. Life often has other plans though.
Picture us minding our own business and having a great day and then news hits, followed by more news, and more news. For those who know the story of Job from the Bible, that’s what happened to him. Lost his kids, lost his wealth, lost his health. Most of us don’t ever have that sort of cataclysmic loss although it can happen.
We do however face a lot of pressure that tends to break our strides. But, like Job, we don’t have to sit and wallow. There are things we can do, beginning with managing our thoughts.
Thoughts
Some of our lives reside in our thoughts. We’re always going to have problems. How we think about our problems impacts our response. It is also a known fact that our thoughts can have a big impact on our health as well. When our thoughts go off the rails it can cause our bodies to misread the signals our bodies send to our brains.
That is stress, which can mimic several ailments we’d normally see people go to the doctor to treat. But our thoughts don’t need to go crazy when we face uncertainty. We can slow down and look at whatever is bothering us.
While we do not constantly monitor our thoughts, when we become aware of what’s in our heads we can change our thoughts with intentional thinking. While this may not seem to have any effect on our immediate lives, those who intentionally change their thoughts to better things may see how differently they deal with uncertainty.
Our thoughts are often reflected in our actions, so it is important to spend time cultivating positive thinking. While I advocate affirmations, there is nothing more potent than the word of God when we’re battling negative thoughts.
Cultivating better behavior
While we can’t control everything, we can control our behaviors, which includes how we respond to stimulation. With the right attitude, both in our, at ease moments, and uncertain times, we can take time to sharpen our behavior. This can begin with how we react to the things we see, hear, and touch.
The thoughts that pass through our minds when we hear music or watch television do determine how we view the situations we see and hear. As we are intentional with our responses over time we can change.
Practicing patience
There is nothing like having patience when we’re pressed. Whether we are stressed or at ease, patience allows us to reflect and consider things. Sometimes in the middle of a problem, people who make a habit of being patient can take a break and just consider.
The story of Job, I referred to from the Bible has him lose everything, except his wife and some property. Although Job suffers heartache and some real pain, he endures what he’s going through by summarizing that God is the one who gave him everything he had; God can also take it all away. Job’s patient ways keep him from accusing God of doing him wrong in the end, and God restores Job.
The lesson I got from reading the story of Job is one of the many reasons I advocate the Bible as real-world knowledge. The people who believe God know that even if we have to endure for a time, God always comes through. We are also not bound by what we see, and it makes being patient a lot easier.
Imagining desired results
Our imagination doesn’t have to be for problems. Our actions often begin in our thoughts and work their way into our actions. Our minds are a potent creation, God blessed us with. It’s not just for thinking about gossip or what people did to us. A mind occupied with desired-results can work wonders.
People who have visions of results they want will act on those results. While things don’t always work out how we see it, imagine having an end goal in mind instead of woe and self-pity. People who practice envisioning results can also start imagining the steps needed to get to the results they envision. More on that another time.
Taking action
Uncertainty can cause anyone to shut down. With our minds seeded for action, we can act when we envision the results we want, regardless of uncertainty or obstacle. The confidence needed to live a meaningful life comes over time with if we begin to take action on smaller things.
As a man who believes in Jesus, knowing the word of God and practicing living in the word of God has given me confidence in Jesus Christ to fulfill His word and guide my steps. Does not make me perfect and does not always mean I get everything I want, especially when I want it.
But what happens when we rest our confidence in Jesus is, we believe in the creator of everything who also made knowledge and wisdom, and shares it with those who believe in Him.
Having confidence in something other than self can have a huge impact when we’re our own esteem is low. Those who learn from the Lord get more out of life, because of the life we inherit believing in and living out the word of God.
Times of uncertainty can knock us down. Recognizing that we’re not stuck with problems or uncertain circumstances can alleviate a lot of stress. When we seed our minds, our minds feed our bodies directions for life. Those who approach life to live it right learn valuable lessons from every situation we face. They may become valuable to others also.
Thanks for coming by Spiritseid and reading this article. If you like, feel free to leave us a comment or contact us with any comments or suggestions you may have. And do come back on Fridays at 4:13PM eastern time for fresh ink.
