I have a fear. It is a legitimate fear. It is not something I have conjured in my mind. There is a good dose of reality associated with my fear.
I expressed the fear last week at the conclusion of the CrossPoint University spring semester orientation. After sharing my concern, many CrossPointer’s confirmed a similar trepidation. As a result, they asked me to blog about it this week.
What do I fear?
My fear is that as I grow older I will become grumpy. My concern is that as I age I will move toward negativity and cynicism.
What about you? Do you any of you have that apprehension? More than a few CrossPointer’s were nodding their heads in agreement as I was speaking about subject.
I have seen this happen so many times in ministry. For some reason, the older a person grows the more susceptible they are to negativity. Why is that? What is it about a person’s age that makes them so pessimistic?
Don’t get me wrong. Not every aging person is that way. Take my mother, for example. That woman seems to grow in her joy with each passing birthday. I know many other CrossPointers who are just like her; so not every aging individual is negative or critical. And neither do I want to be as I age.
I have been wrestling with this concern for some time. Just last week I listened intentionally to my conversations, and I was surprised at the number of negative or critical comments I made in a single conversation. It is so easy to be a complainer or whiner. I cannot speak for the rest of you, but I find myself bombarded with negative messages throughout my day – from individuals to the radio to the television news and the Internet. The identification of the negativity became so great I recently curtailed my listening and reading habits. I can already see how that move alone has made a big difference.
So, what is the key? What is the solution? What is the answer?
Obviously, the Scripture is the answer. God’s word has numerous instructions and commands about joy, hope and rejoicing. So, if the Lord is willing, let’s spend some time there this week.
Of course, your feedback is always welcomed and I look forward to the discussion throughout the week.
RT @Ryan_Whitley: New at JustOneMore: I Have a Fear — http://t.co/JKt809Th
I struggle with this regularly. Today’s Bible reading told me exactly what the problem is: “For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.” http://bible.us/116/mat.12.34.nlt
Yep. Truth.
Pastor, I loved your encouragement and it hit home. I don’t want to be a grumpy old woman!! :0) Even in taking care of my mom, my prayer was that the Lord would help me to help her (and me) grow old with grace.
I had never considered John 16:22, which you shared, in light of negativity, so I revisited.
“So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you”
A negative person can put up my defenses and take ME to the negative (about their negativity!) and rob me of my joy quicker than anything!
So, I asked, “WHY can no one take my joy from me?” . . . b/c I will see Jesus again! In the future, yes, but what about today, when I become negative or a negative person tries to invade my joy??
Well, maybe to the degree that I SEE JESUS in my situation – I will experience Jesus’-joy-in-the-midst! And hopefully, KNOWING that I will see Jesus again will also quicken me to my own right living and joy-filled response to a negative person or situation.
Like you reminded us, the joy of the Lord is our strength! (and the negativity of the negative is NOT my weakness! I can do all things through Christ! )
Oh Lord Jesus, may this head knowledge move IN to my heart and OUT into my walk. Thank you so much for our pastor’s passion for Your word and Your Gospel. Protect him from Satan’s onslaught, from his own flesh and from the influence of the world. Keep him true to You and Your word. In Jesus Name!
Milkman, thank you for the retweet.
Jen, thank you sharing that Scripture.
Oh my, Tracy, what a great response. Thank you for your input. I love it that the Lord said we could have His joy and that no one can take His joy away from us. Thank you also for your prayer for me.