Several years ago, Lindsey appointed herself my “company girl”. This means she accompanies me whenever I go somewhere (at least, any time she’s allowed to) and keeps me company on the trip. It doesn’t matter to her what we do; she just likes being together.
Two days ago, my company girl and I were on our way to do some errands. Our first stop was to be a local department store. As we drove down the road the store is on, small raindrops began hitting the windshield. Oh no, I thought. Now we’re going to get wet trying to get into the store. What if it starts raining harder? Then we’ll get really wet. And I can’t run as fast when I have Lindsey with me.
Out loud, I said, “Oh, no! It’s raining.”
Lindsey glanced at the raindrops dotting our windshield and said, with a smile, “Yay! We’re going to get wet!”
The exact same circumstance happened to both of us: rain. The difference came in our attitudes. I saw the rain as an inconvenience; Lindsey saw it as fun.
So much of our quality of life results from the way we look at things and the perspective we choose to have. I said choose to have, because while we may not be able to choose our circumstances sometimes, we can always choose our attitudes in response.
I could have chosen a different perspective. I could have seen the rain and thought about what fun it would be to run through the rain together with a girl who loves to get wet, laughing and giggling all the way. Instead, I chose a perspective that brought me down instead of lifting me up.
Fortunately, I didn’t bring Lindsey down. She chose the “joy” perspective. What I saw as an inconvenience, she saw as the chance to have a great time.
I wonder what difference it would make in our lives as moms if we were to practice seeing the positive side of things instead of the negative? Would our homes be more peaceful? Would our relationships with our husband (if we’re married) and children be more fulfilling? Would our relationship with God be more joyful and Spirit-filled?
I’m not suggesting that everything in life that happens to us will bring joy. But I am saying that even in the worst of circumstances, we can find good that is happening despite those circumstances. And I’m urging all of us—starting with myself—to realize that so many things in our day-to-day lives could be so much different if we were to look on the bright side of things instead of the negative.
I’ll bet this new, positive perspective would please God, too. After all, we’re commanded to give thanks in the midst of every circumstance, and we’re told that it’s God’s will for us.
Does this mean that we’re supposed to deny our negative feelings? No. We need to take those to God and let Him help us deal with those. He desires truth from us, including in our emotional lives. So God’s command doesn’t mean we’re supposed to pretend like everything is just fine. But it does mean that, no matter what, we’re supposed to find something to be thankful about.
Discouraged that your house is a mess? (Believe me, I totally get this one.) Instead of focusing on the discouragement, you could choose to spend your emotional energy being thankful you have children.
Frustrated that your husband works long hours? Instead of focusing on the inconvenience that this makes for you, you could deliberately choose to be thankful that your husband’s long hours mean that he has a job that helps to provide for you and your family.
Irritated that you’ve told your children the same thing a thousand times, and they still don’t get it? Try turning your irritation into thankfulness to God that He doesn’t give up on you when you don’t get it the first several times either.
See what I mean? Same circumstances, different attitude.
And sometimes, your attitude makes all the difference in the world.
1 Thessalonians 5:18—Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.