Mind Over Master?

You don’t have to look far to find books and sermons about getting everything you want in life by simply thinking the right thoughts or speaking the right words. The philosophies of “Positive Thinking” and “Possibility Thinking,” “Positive Imaging,” “Word of Faith,” the “Law of Attraction” (from The Secret), and even the “I think I can” mantra behind The Little Engine that Could, have become extremely popular in the last 50 years. In some cases, they purport that everything from getting that special mate, job, car, house, or overcoming depression results from rightly focused thoughts, words and endeavors. It all boils down to applying just a little more personal, positive human thinking and effort.

Those things may yield fruit; some may have even helped (at least temporarily). Anecdotal success stories garner loyal legions. But hey, if you can have everything you want by simply thinking good thoughts, speaking the right words or practicing a better attitude, most would say, “Sign me up!” And many, even Christians, do indeed sign up. So what’s the problem? It makes faith more about you than about God.

Some gigantic churches today are filled each Sunday with those who have made God little more than their “genie in the lamp.” When convinced that their wishes are within reach, they’ll show up to rub the lamp again and again. The mere suggestion from the “preacher” that material blessings are about to be unleashed by a slight tweaking of their attitudes brings frequent applause from the salivating crowd.

Don’t fall for that stuff. It is pervasive today. Sadly, you can hardly watch Christian TV without seeing some form of these philosophies wrapped in spiritual terms. I heard one famous preacher assert, “I believe God Himself will anoint you to reap a mighty harvest of your physical, spiritual and financial needs.” How? Just order one of his especially “anointed prayer cloths.” Do they still do that? Yes, they do. Do people fall for it? Absolutely.

Insinuating that everything is supposed to be peachy for the Christian who thinks and speaks rightly is not entirely biblical. As much as the hucksters would like to (and do) twist the Scriptures to support their pop-psych version of God and faith, examples to the contrary abound. The Apostle Paul had at least one significant physical ailment, and at times he was likely flat broke. Where were those anointed prayer cloths when Paul needed them?

And what about King David? Was he just a faithless whiner? Talk about problems! Among his enemies was his son! Some kids rebel by getting a tattoo. Absalom led a coup d’état against his dad! Nonetheless, David never relies upon “I think I can…I know I can…” nor does he pine for a Barnes & Noble to bone up on how to turn his wishes into reality through sheer optimism. Instead, he describes his circumstances realistically: they’re awful!

-It would be nice if, by thinking happy thoughts, all our troubles would go away. But that would fly in the face of one of Jesus’ less popular promises: “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV). After that statement, Jesus doesn’t go on to give seven steps to avoiding trouble. He doesn’t blame the listeners’ deficient faith or lack of positive declarations for their problems. Instead, he states it as a fact, a fact followed by another all-important, indispensable fact: “But take heart! I have overcome the world” (ibid.).

David lived 1,000 years before Christ became flesh and dwelt among us, but he seemed to get Jesus’ point anyway. David felt overcome by his circumstances at times (e.g., Psalm 13:1-4). Then he uses that word, a word that Jesus used. It’s a word in Scripture that so often delineates the difference between our woes and God’s wonders. It is a word of transition: “but.” “But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation” (Psalm 13:5 NKJV, emphasis added).  

When circumstances seem to pile up against you, whom will you trust, your thoughts or the Creator of your brain? There is nothing wrong with “choosing to look on the bright side.” However, sometimes even the bright side looks dark. In the end, there’s only one true Source of Light. Ultimately, life makes sense only when we realize that He is the bright side.

“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”

─Romans 8:37 NASB