“Positive thinking” is not the Gospel. It’s not even Biblical. Now don’t get me wrong, I do believe in “positive thinking” and based on my experiences and common sense; positive thinking is beneficial. It is good in itself. Plus, it improves our health and brightens our day when everything around us seems to make us fall apart. It is good in itself, neither bad nor good – neutrally alright like drug and wine (but slightly good than bad).
Why I equate “positive thinking” with drug and wine? Well, as we all know, excessive drug and drunkenness is bad, or more accurately in Biblical term – it is sin. Those who are too absorb, fanatic with “positive thinking” (or whatever kind of thinking except one) will eventually believe and have faith in other thing or with oneself rather than in the Lord Jesus, the Master and the King over our body, mind and soul. This is offensive statements to write, but as Christ followers who have surrendered joyfully everything of us to Him shouldn’t ignore this warning lightly.
Why I say excessive, too absorb, fanatic “positive thinking” is a sin? Well, “positive thinking” doesn’t deal with human sinfulness; it diverts the attention to some other things and thus, no personal responsibilities and repentance requires. It doesn’t solve the problem. Only avoid it. Any “negative thinking” will be labeled as bad for our self-esteem, destroy our self-image and comes from the Devil – but that are not entirely true. God may speak to us through “negative” thinking, events and circumstances in our lives. When we commit sin, the Holy Spirit may touch our heart so that we’ll feel guilty and at the same time convince us to repent from our sin. When we cheating on someone, when we hate someone, when we tells lies to someone – we ought to feel bad about it and that require us to have “negative thinking” in our own self-righteous thinking.
Furthermore, the faith of “positive thinking” is in the things positive but not exclusively to God. It may include God as its object (initially) but not the only one. “Positive thinking” is like polytheism religious, ‘belief in or worship of more than one god’ because the centers of its faith are in anything, whatever positive. What I concern about this kind of (excessive) thinking is that ‘Christians’ may unconsciously but genuinely believe and have their center of faith in themselves. Deceived in their thinking, they thought that ‘God’ is the center of their faith, but further from the truth – it is in ‘themselves’. This is idolatry. Therefore, it is sinful.
The Bible doesn’t teach “positive thinking”; God’s Word teaches “God-ward thinking”. It is not void and abstract faith; it is clear and single – true faith in God of the Bible. Anything “positive” is not necessary right. And if it seems right for us, it may not right in God's sight. The standard measurement of rights and wrongs for Christ followers is according to the Bible. No matter how “positive” our thinking about certain things or events maybe, if it doesn’t match with Biblical principles, it is still wrong and against the will of God.
“God-ward thinking” doesn’t subtract the “negative” but include it in our thinking and examine the “negative” in the light of the Scriptures. We ought to see problems or circumstances as it is. It sees all things wholistically – inside out – the “positive” and “negative” part together. Then we ask questions: what, when, where, why, who and how. And relates all these thoughts to God, asks God to examine our feelings, bring it all in our prayer to God, asks God for strengths and faith. This process of “God-ward thinking” might hurt us, confront our pride, and may tear down our self-esteem for a moment. But compare all these in a long-term perspectives (or better, in eternal perspective), you’ll be glad and rejoice that you obey God’s prompting Spirit to think “God-ward thinking”.
This is God’s gracious blessing for His children.
So preachers & pastors, full-time workers & Church leaders, Bible study instructors & Sunday school teachers, Christian book writers & singers, think “God-ward thinking” in your words and actions. Don’t fall for something less (“positive thinking”) than something greatly awesome (“God-ward thinking”). Let the secular teachers and motivational speakers do that for others. They have done a great job doing it and we must not imitate them, even in the name of winning others for Christ. If we want to win other for Christ, rely on God’s Holy Spirit and win them by the power of God – not by the power of positive thinking. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t think positive and stop being optimist, but rather let us talks and preaches what is utmost important, what is essentially needed today, namely, to think “God-ward thinking”. Apart from this, we have no other businesses.
THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.
I totally Agree!
ReplyDelete100% agree with this article . I was searching "positive attitude more sins" in google and came here . My wife talks all about positive thinking , more than what bible says . This causes a development of self loathing attitude . So person just feels and thinks positive no matter how many sin he commits . We should look at god and his words and not to positive attitude .
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