Look for Good
This broken world is based on a carnal nature that uses the language of negativity, cynicism, and criticism. No matter the gains in the world there are haters for you and no matter the mediocrity or the failure there are critics for you. Our flesh nature of competition requires the others to lose, and it is not natural for us to root for those we compete with.
It is because what we chase after is self-focused and self-centered. The world does not encourage chasing those things that are OTHER-focused and OTHER-centered. The traditional (world) hierarchy of competition and gain is pyramid shape with a peak that is reserved for one. The one who wins.
God’s hierarchy is very different than this. It is an upside economy where the peak is pointing down and its base is the top. It is a structure of servant leadership where the greater serves the lesser. This all starts with a cheerful attitude of looking for good in people. Be it that you look for good or bad in people, you will find it. God instructs us to look for good to move our heart to helpfulness and cheerfulness and to move our language to one of love and speaking affirmation to people. The more we lean in that direction the more we are aligned with the spirit of God that lives in us. Move our language to speak His victories (all that He has done) and we will move away from a defeated penchant. Move our language to encouragement to others and we will speak life to others and ourselves. Move our language to thankfulness and gratitude and we move from complaining and criticism. Scripture instructs us to be encourage one another (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%205%3A11&version=AMPC); to use kind words (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+16%3A24&version=GNT); to fix our thoughts on those things that are praiseworthy (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=phillipians+4%3A8&version=AMP.
All of this is God’s design for us to renew our mind daily so that we can intake His teachings, His instructions, and His Ways by diminishing the distractions of the noise and chatter of this broken world. His design for us is to be useful to others and to be a light in this (dark) world in our thoughts, words and actions. Depression is on the rise because of the opposite happening in the life of people. The opposite of the correct characteristics of love, joy, peace, patience (tolerance), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The very Spirit that God placed in us has these correct characteristics and we have confirmation that we are aligned with the Spirit of God when we pursue and demonstrate these characteristics in our thoughts, words, and actions. We tap into His full blessings when we are in alignment with Him. Blessings that include the blessings for others and for ourselves. Therefore, I must be mindful in my attitude to others and myself for I carry in me the power that can bless or curse others and myself (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%203%3A10&version=GNT).
