seeing the glass half-empty...

Somewhere in my early teens... I became very critical... not only readily seeing faults around me... but in myself...

I'm quick to note what's wrong... whether I vocalize it or not... and have a knack for imagining the worst case scenario... given any situation...

I'm not sure what lies at the root of this oblique perspective... attitude... and need to seek His insight... and knowledge on this issue... but what has become clear... it's time for it to change...

It is a thought-pattern that continues to recur... one that colors my view of everything... and overshadows... hope... which naturally causes me to lose trust... in God's goodness... if all I see is what's off...

This world is broken... we all fall short of the glory... but to focus on the faults... reveals an expectation... of perfection... here... now... in this realm... which will not happen... until Christ returns...

I should expect things to be wrong... off... and know it's OK... because all this is temporary...

For what is seen is temporary,

but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18

It takes me back to Dallas Willard's "golden triangle" of spiritual transformation... which includes... these three processes needed... in "putting on" the Lord Jesus Christ... becoming like Him...

• Interaction with God's Spirit in and around us.
• Spiritual disciplines.
• Faithful acceptance of everyday problems.

My emphasis of the third item on the list... is where I continue to struggle... faithful acceptance of everyday problems...

To focus on the negative... omits the possibility... probability... absolute truth... of God's sovereignty... and purpose... in allowing everyday problems... for our good... and His glory...

So the challenge... (which goes hand-in-hand with the previous challenge... receiving whatever presents itself... as a present...)... is to stop... derail... take captive... negative... critical... thoughts... and begin to see the positive... in people... places... things... situations...

A further exercise in influencing... and correcting... strengthening... thought-life...

Above all else, guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23

(emphasis mine)

The biblical heart... conveys the idea of our inner being... and consists of... mind + will + emotion... so when we consider what it takes to guard our heart... it begins with how we think... what we let into our minds... expose ourselves to... intentionally and unintentionally... and how we process it emotionally...

The ESV translation... reads... Keep your heart with all vigilance... 

keep... comes from the Hebrew...natsar... meaning... to watch, guard, keep... preserve, guard from dangers...

This is the same word used in Genesis... where God put man in the garden... and told him to work it... and keep it... You see the problems that arise... when one does not keep things well...?

vigilance... seen in the ESV... is the Hebrew... mishmar... defined... place of confinement, prison, guard, jail, guard post, watch...

A highly attentive word... 

From the heart... mind... will... emotion... spring life... our life... the quality of life... a good reason to keep watch... guard... be attentive... to what goes in... and comes out...

With His help... I'm choosing... to think... differently... 

I want life... abundant... filled with hope... light... not shadows... of darkness...

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

1 John 1:5-7

Father God... change my thinking... help me to guard my heart... 

Reveal the root of my critical spirit... and bring healing...