How to stay positive in a negative world

It's been a while, but back in the summer of 2022 I posted a series of videos on Youtube and Instagram entitled 'How to stay positive in a negative world'.  

Are we called to be positive amidst trouble and mayhem? Yes, I believe so. 👉We are called to be different, to shine when all is dark.

The Bible says it like this in Philippians 2:15: Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

We are called to be bright lights! It saddens me when Christians are negative and without hope. I talk with a lot of people who find it difficult to remain positive when many things seem to go wrong, whether it is the politics in their country, the economic situation, or the spiritual climate.

And yes, sometimes world events and traumatic happenings can get to our nerves; but let's go back to the Bible again and again and find encouragement.

Realizing how difficult it can be to remain hopeful, I taped 15 videos with practical tips you can start implementing today. They're just two minutes each and the messages will encourage you and lift you up. I don't have all the answers, but I realize we need to rise above our circumstances... all the time.

If you haven't seen the videos, here's the link and let me know what you think!

You don't have to walk in darkness

One more week and the days will be getting longer again! Yeah, I am an optimist 😀 In the meantime people are lighting up the dark days with Christmas lights and candles in their window stills.

👉Darkness doesn't last forever, it never does. After each night there is a new morning. After every winter spring comes again. Such are the seasons of life.

We might find ourselves in the night of our lives, with darkness closing in. Maybe because of an illness, loss, or pain. There can be many reasons why we feel like darkness is getting the upper hand.

But... darkness has no power over light, it does not have the last word! In the first chapter of the Bible we can read how God separated the light from the darkness and how He called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” We have this promise that after the night, a new day will come.

This is the promise of Christmas as described by the prophet Isaiah:

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine (Isaiah 9:2).

Even in our deepest darkness, a light will shine. So many people have gone before us and they wrote about their experiences. Their words are still a comfort for us today. David wrote in Psalm 18:28:

You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.

Jesus can and will do it, like no one else can. He is the light of the world. He calls every person to Himself with a wonderful promise:

⭐I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life (John 8:12).

A mandate to shine

The other day I came across a sentence in one of the books I am currently reading, that really stuck with me... I mean like glue. 

Shine where you are.

Shine where you are. Four simple words that made me wonder what would happen if we all did that? Just imagine... we would live in a different world!

What if we would shine exactly in the place or position we are in right now? Not when things get better, not when we have it all together, not when we are healed, not when we are out of trouble, not when our government changes... but now, right where we are.

Maybe you don't want to shine, maybe you prefer complaining and grumbling. 👉 But for believers it is different, we have a mandate to shine! Think about that.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be innocent and pure as God's perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky (Philippians 2:14-15, GNT).

Just imagine...

Got oil in your lamp?

'Darkness is nothing more than lack of light',  my husband always says. And he is right. 👉When we complain about the dark world we live in, we are not shining our light.

Ouch! We don't want to hear that. Especially not in this current time of unrest, crisis, political mess, and ungodliness.

I suspect many are not even sure whether they still have oil in their lamps. I meet people who are tired, weary, worried, anxious, down... just waiting for better times.

Well, there is no better time than Christmas time when we celebrate (no matter the circumstances) the birth of Jesus, the light of the world! He came to shine His light and to pass the oil (the Holy Spirit) on to us. He said: You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

Wow, like a city on a hilltop... I love that idea. No matter how hard the enemy is trying to dim the light of Jesus, he will NOT succeed. That should encourage us, that should stir up our faith. We are blessed to be the light and to have the light. |Jesus said:

I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a deLIGHTful New Year!

Light of the world (4)

In my previous blog I mentioned the song of Simeon. In this song, he referred to the words in Isaiah 49: 6, where God himself speaks. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

A light for all nations, till the ends of the earth, not just for Israel. This clearly points to Jesus. He came for the whole world, for all people. The first followers of Jesus understood very well that they had the task of telling not only their Jewish friends but the whole world about that light. Just read Acts 13:47 where Paul and Barnabas are speaking: For this is what the Lord has commanded us:‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.' And with those words, they quoted Isaiah 49: 6.

Pooh well, you might say, this is quite a difficult assignment, because the world is rather dark. Didn't Jesus make it sound a little too easy when He told people you are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). How can we effectively spread that light, how can we be that light in this world? Personally, I think the first followers of Christ had questions about the practical side of being light-bearers as well, but they came to a discovery that I would like to share it with you:

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4: 6). God wants to shine in the darkness of our hearts, if we allow that of course. Invite Him to do so if you have never done that. Come on, just ask Him.

Then, we can actually proclaim 'For I was once darkness, but now I am light in the Lord' (Ephesians 5: 8).

Light of the world (3)

'Light shines in the darkness, we certainly do our best with all our lights and candles during the dark winter season. But let's not forget, the One who can truly take us out of darkness (enlighten us), the real light is Jesus! With those words I ended my previous blog.

How wonderful when a person receives that revelation. Let's take a look at someone who experienced that a long time ago ...

A certain Simeon lived in Jerusalem. He was a good and honest man and he deeply respected the law of God. He was full of the Holy Spirit and lived in the firm expectation that the Christ would soon come. When he saw the child Jesus in the temple he began to shout to God: ... my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel (Luke 2: 30-32).

Simeon saw the prophetic words from Isaiah literally fulfilled and it made him sing for joy. It's going to happen, God has kept His word. The light is here! Can we sing like he did? Do we dare to sing like Simeon because we actually believe that Jesus Christ is the light for the world?

When Jesus grew up He confirmed that truth: As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9: 5).

Light of the world (2)

'The Bible frequently speaks about light in darkness', I wrote in my previous blog. As a matter of fact, this already starts in Genesis 1 where we can read that darkness was over the surface of the deep... until God spoke: "Let there be light." And there was light.

Light in the darkness, we can also read about this in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. Kind of a recurrence of Genesis 1, but with a profound truth revealed:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

That creation story, ➽ light in the darkness, keeps coming back in the Bible. The prophets understood it, just as the disciples did. In Isaiah 42: 5-7 it is written like this: This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. God gave Jesus as light to the people of Israel and then also to the other nations.

Light shines in the darkness, we certainly do our best with all our lights and candles during the dark winter season. But let's not forget, the One who can truly take us out of darkness (enlighten us), the real light is Jesus!

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world (John 1: 9).

Light of the world (1)

'What shall I preach about, this Sunday', my husband asked. 'About the light of the world, I answered quickly. Such a beautiful topic during these dark days before Christmas. And so he did. And I decided to write a short blog series about it. Will you join me in contemplation?

We live in a world with a lot of darkness. War, violence, terrorism, pain, abuse, sadness, and loneliness, you name it. There is, of course, nothing new under the sun. About 700 years BC the prophet Isaiah wrote: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned (Isaiah 9: 2).

A land of deep darkness, brrrr, recognize this?. The light was a promise, something to look forward to. The Bible frequently speaks about light in darkness. Quite logical if you ask me, because the Bible is the Word of God and God is light. In 1 John 1: 5 it says: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

How does that light come our way? Into our world, our country, our cities and into our personal darkness? Well, God sent His Son Jesus to the earth, this event will be celebrated worldwide at Christmas time. Jesus said: I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness (John 12:46). Are you in the dark? Does it feel dark around you? Jesus wants to get you out of the dark! This, my friends, is not an empty promise.

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12).