I’ve heard stories of people who attribute their health,
wealth, and success to their ability to stay positive. It is even documented
that some people have been healed of physical and mental illness by learning to
be grateful and to look at the good in situations. Staying positive in the
midst of a negative world is hard. As is
true with many alcoholics, it is almost impossible for me. I have always been
one who worries that the worst will happen.
If there was a reason to complain, I could find it. That hasn’t really
changed in my 12 years of sobriety. I have still generally looked for what’s
wrong instead of what’s right. I’ve always been drawn to happy people
though. My sponsor is amazingly positive
– even after living through years of difficult circumstances, she remains happy. I want to be like those individuals but
haven’t found the key. I recently was reminded by a friend that I can ask God
to stop me when I start to follow negative, critical, or judgmental thoughts.
It never worked before. This time I have had some success. I was reminded that
I have authority spiritually over my thoughts. I told the evil one to be stop
filling my mind with fearful, critical things. I got specific. I said, “Devil,
you stop telling me that I can’t be positive and stop telling me that I will
always be fearful and negative. Those
are lies.” Then I asked God to take over and help me see when I was falling
back into the old thought patterns of negativity. He has done that. He has kept me from joining back in when I am
provoked with negativity.
I won’t give up
because I see it is true that continuing the fight brings progress while giving
up brings nothing but more of the same.
