Flourishing Life

Living with an ongoing sense of awe and wonder at the incredible gift of life with which God has endowed us is living a fulfilling, positive life. It seems that in some strange way our brains are wired to think more about negative things than positive. Scientists speculate this is true because negative events in our lives pose a potential threat to our well-being and remain unresolved, thus we have a tendency to think about negative events longer than we do positive events. The positive was good and is finished, and doesn't pose us any potential harm, so the brain doesn't spend as much energy thinking about positive events once they're through. Seriously, psychologists study this stuff.

However, we do not have to allow this primordial short-circuiting of our neurons to hold sway. No wonder Paul wrote that a big part of sanctification is the renewal of the mind, the thought processes that constantly go on inside our head (Romans 12). What we think about is a matter of choice. For many of us, this is not apparent because we are conditioned by our past to believe we have little or no control over our thoughts. But you can change your mind, with the help of the Spirit.

Thanksgiving is a good time to start! Think… "For what am I truly thankful?" It shouldn't take too long to think up a pretty long list: health, freedom, family, meaningful work, a computer with internet connection! Hopefully, though, our thoughts won't stop with the obvious, material blessings, but will reach a gratitude for the deeper, even more real blessings of a spiritual nature. First and foremost, for a relationship with our Loving Heavenly Father through the Son in the Spirit. Ultimately, life is a gift from God, life itself. Just to be breathing, knowing, experiencing existence in the presence of an omnibenevolent Deity (that's a fancy way of saying "a God who cares").

Every day, every hour, every moment, we are in the presence of a God who loves, a God who IS love. Stop. Think about it. Wow! This is really true. There's never a time, never a circumstance or situation where God isn't there. If I can learn to turn my thoughts toward this reality on a more frequent basis and express my thankfulness to God more often, then it will make a huge difference in my thought life, in my relationships with others, and my outlook. A positive life is much more fulfilling!

I hope you take time this week to reflect on your gratitude toward God's presence and grace in your life. Let God's presence and love guide how you think… about yourself, about others, and about existence itself.