Charles M. Schulz,

Creator of “Peanuts”

“Life is too short for ______.”

How many times have you heard someone say that? Life is short and certainly too short to be accentuating the negatives that are around us and threaten to overwhelm us.

What are the cavities in your life? If you spend an hour or an evening with a person who has nothing positive to say, are you the better for your time? If you watch a television program and it was neither a learning experience nor an uplifting event, did you waste that time? If you start a book and realize you would not recommend it to your mother or your best friend, do you skip the rest of the book? 

The first part of Psalms 119:37 says, “Turn my eyes away from worthless things.” Other translations regarding what we see include:

“Let my eyes be turned away from what is false.”

“Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things.”

“Keep me from looking at worthless things.”

“Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets.”

“Turn thou away my eyes from the empty and the worthless.”

In an even broader sense, “Keep me from paying attention to what is worthless.”

Make a conscious choice to focus on the positives that surround us, even through crisis. Fill your mind with Heavenly things, with Godly things. Thankfully, the Bible gives us a list of Heavenly things to think about in Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”  

The point is not to convince yourself that you should be filling your mind this way but to choose to positively fill your mind. (Don’t just agree you should do it, but follow the Nike slogan and “Just Do It.”) 

How can you make these changes in your life? If you have Christian or non-Christian friends who tend to be negative at all times, can you redirect their conversation? Can you gently tell them you do not want to hear so much negativity? Obviously there are some relationships you need to continue or you may need to be therapeutic in your relationship with them. But your best choice with others may be abandoning your friendship on a temporary or permanent basis. Tell them why. 

If you see things on television that are worthless, empty or false, turn the channel, or better yet, turn it off. Tell the television affiliate why. If you read something that is worthless, empty or false, stop reading. You have the power over your mind and you can make conscious, positive choices. God will keep you in peace, if your mind is fixed on Him. Isaiah 26:3 says so!

“Since we can only think about one thing at a time, meditating on God’s love and goodness leaves no room for wrong thinking.”

Joel Osteen, author and pastor

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, look to tomorrow, rest this afternoon.”

-- Charles M. Schulz, creator of “Peanuts” 

Sing a hymn in your mind as you begin your afternoon nap!