Focus On The Good
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. 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. Philippians 4:8 NLT
Insight
Our brains are hard-wired to focus on the negative. Early in human history, this tendency was essential to our survival. This predisposition serves a critical function: it prompts us to take action and problem-solve. Negatively salient stimuli inevitably draw our eyes and capture our attention. Focusing on the negative is a natural inclination, but one that we are called to resist when our life is not at risk.
We have to fight against our biology in order to focus on the things that are praiseworthy and beautiful in our lives. This is not an easy task. It is often an uphill battle. But God knows this. He gives us grace after grace when we get stuck in negative thought-spirals.
More than that, God offers us supernatural help in our effort to focus on the positive. He is willing and able to change our vision so that we can see the world with new eyes. In His power, we can recognize the glory and goodness that exists all around us. He can draw our attention to the little miracles we often take for granted. This won’t happen overnight. But we can rest assured that He is sanctifying us, day by day.
In God, we can focus on the good in both our circumstances and in the people around us.
Because of His great love for us, there is goodness baked into every season of life we walk through. We can praise God for our trials, because they are leveraged for our good and His glory (Romans 5:3-5, Romans 8:18). Our struggles force us to rely on the One who gives us strength. Greater dependence on God is the greatest gift we can be given in this life. When our life goes awry and we are forced to lean on Him, we gain something priceless.
With Him, we can also learn how to focus on what is lovely and admirable in the people around us. Today’s verse challenges us to fixate on how God’s goodness is present in every person we meet. There is something honorable, right, and pure in everyone—even those we struggle to love. There is something to appreciate about every sinner, because they are made in the image of a good God. Today, challenge yourself to identify what is excellent and praiseworthy in the people who have wronged you.
Reflection
Write down the adjectives listed in Philippians 4:8. Then, think of a circumstance or person you are struggling to see God’s goodness in. Go through each adjective and list what is good, excellent, and worthy of praise in that person or circumstance.
Prayer
Abba! Your goodness saturates the very air that surrounds me. Because You created this world and the people in it, Your majesty and love is present in every person and circumstance I encounter. In Your grace, renew my vision so that I can see You in every little thing. Convict me and redirect me when I focus on the brokenness that exists in Your children and in this sin-scarred world. Remind my soul that this world is more beautiful than it is broken. Help me to give myself grace when I get caught up in the negative. I am learning, day by day, to have Your eyes to see the world around me. It is a process—one that You guide me through with patience and love. I love You, Lord, and I thank You for all You are. Amen.
Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today’s devotional.