“When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right!”
— Proverbs 15:15 (TLB)
Change Your Thoughts . . . Change Your Day
My hair looks like I combed it with a rake, you think, and that starts the ball rolling.
This dress is ridiculous, and I won’t get a new one now that Dad lost his job.
I look like a troll today. Why do I have to be so ugly?
Negative thoughts can hold you captive and multiply like ants at a picnic. But if you take control, put your hope in God and his Word, you can turn things around and have a great day, no matter what’s going on.
When King David was “down in the dumps,” he got out of his bad moods by thinking about all the good things God had done for him. When he finished, the Bible says, he was “whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy” (Psalm 9:2 MSG). “You have done so much for me, O Lord,” David wrote. “No wonder I am glad! I sing for joy” (Psalm 92:4 TLB).
David had the right idea. You can’t stay in a stinky mood long if you think about how wonderful God is; how many times he has answered your urgent prayers, forgiven you for your mistakes, and gotten you out of really bad scrapes. And like David, remembering instances of God’s goodness will surely make you think, Wow, am I blessed, instead of, Boy, I’m depressed.
Bad hair? The Bible says, “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles . . . You should be known for the beauty that comes from within” (1 Peter 3:4 NLT). So fix your hair and forget about it. Then maybe work on your inner self by praying for sick kids who’ve lost their hair.
No money for new duds? The Bible says, “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they” (Matthew 6:29 TLB). So maybe you should thank God for the clothes you do have, then use your creativity to combine an outfit in a new and different way.
Not feeling pretty? The Bible says we are “amazingly and miraculously made” (Psalm 139:13 GWT). So if God made you wonderful, maybe you should take his Word and stop thinking you’re not. Oh, and here’s a tip: a girl can look twice as awesome when she smiles. So why not put on one VBG (Very Big Grin) right now.
More To Explore: Psalm 43:5
Girl Talk: When do you get stuck in negative thinking? Look through the Bible for words that will help you turn those thoughts around.
God Talk: “Lord, I can get in a bad mood so easily. Help me to realize just how wonderful my life really is because you’re my Savior and you love me. Amen.”
From Whatever: Livin’ the True, Noble, Totally Excellent Life by Allia Zobel Nolan