Faith & Reflection
A woman was seemingly incapable of making coffee, but her husband believed that through the power of his positive thinking she would eventually be able to make him a good pot of coffee. Ten years and 3650 pots of suntanned water later, he was still thinking positively and naïvely waiting for a decent cup of java. (He didn’t need positive thinking, but affirmative action ... he should’ve made his own coffee).
While I am an intentional and perennial optimist, I don’t subscribe to the power of positive thinking (the concept that if you believe/think something long and strong enough, it will happen). My skepticism is because the alleged “power” is based upon human effort and a sort of supernatural power to our thoughts. It places man at the center, reeks of vanity and presumption and marginalizes God.
Conversely, I’m totally convinced of the power of negative thinking. It will, without exception, cast shadows on the brightest day and sabotage every person, plan and program that it comes into contact with.
If you think that you can’t do it, and/or that it can’t be done, then that will certainly be the case!
I do subscribe to positive thinking and planning, but it’s reference point must be God and it needs to be based upon biblical principles. James wasn’t against positive thinking, however, he said that we “ought to say...if the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15).
Rose, at 87 years of age, enrolled in Bible college. On her first day in class she approached her theology professor, tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Hi handsome, can I give you a hug?” He hugged her and asked, “Why are you at college at such a young innocent age?” She told him, “I’ve dreamed of having a college education all my life and now, with God’s help, I’m going to get one!” Rose had some intestinal fortitude and three years later, she did graduate with a college degree. That is positive thinking, along with affirmative action.
Perhaps Rose should have taken on the challenge earlier, for she died in her sleep just one week after graduation.
However, more than 2000 college students, touched and inspired by her life, respectfully attended her funeral.
The ability to think is one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind. And the way we think indicates not only who and how we are, but is a determining factor in whether we experience success or failure in our lives. As such, it should not be driven by fear and insecurity, or built upon human pride and wishful thinking.
“...think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).