The Positive Minister

There are people who will not be happy until you are not. They will not be satisfied until you are discontented. They will not find comfort unless you are uncomfortable. They will not be complete unless you are floundering and out of sorts. They want you all up in the air. They have allowed themselves to become so miserable that they are not happy that you are happy. They think you must be artificial in light of how horrible everything in the whole wide world is that they will stop at practically nothing to help you join them in their mire of misery.

If you are too joyful they will try to discredit you. They will say you must not be living in the real world. They will criticize your preaching if you are too positive to suit them. There always have been and always will be those who discourage, those who try to bring God’s servants low, those who detract.

And, I’ve found it true, I sometimes allow these folks to get in my head. To pull me down to their level. To be drawn into their magnetic field of negativity. It’s ugly and it’s awful and it’s sinful. Don’t play along. Yes, there are horrid, very bad, awful, rotten things and actions in this old world and I don’t love it. BUT there is a Redeemer and healing is in His Wings. There is grace aplenty and I am the Ambassador of the One who brought it. There is an assurance of hope and I get to revel in it. There is a Heavenly Kingdom and I get to be a part of its prelude on earth. There is complete forgiveness and I get to be “giddy thankful” for it. There is Good News and I get to proclaim it. There is love and I get to share it. There is generosity and I get a front row to watch it. There are servants and I get to enjoy joining in with them. There are people redeemed and loving it and responding to it in wonderful, beautiful, massive ways. 

Nope, I am positive and I refuse to be negative. Father, keep us from being pulled down by the ways, works, and will of the Evil One. Help us to be lifted up by the one who promises life abundant.

When a modern Sanballat would take us from God’s godo work we say with Nehemiah “I am doing a great work and I cannot…” (Nehemiah 6:3).

NOTE: My friend Robert Hatfield of The Light Network asked me to join him and talk about Positivity in Preaching. You can hear that podcast HERE.