Have you ever thought about exactly what is evil? Webster’s Dictionary says a few things that would spark our interest:
1. Morally reprehensible. In other words, they are guilty or blameworthy.
2. Sinful, Wicked
3. Arising from actual or imputed bad character or conduct ( a man of ~ reputation)
4. A archaic: Inferior
5. Causing discomfort or repulsion: OFFENSIVE (an~ odor)
6. Disagreeable (woke up late and in an ~ temper)
7. Causing harm : PERNICIOUS (the institution of slavery)
8. Marked by misfortune: UNLUCKY.
9. Lastly ~ the fact of suffering, misfortune and wrongdoing, a cosmic evil force, something that brings sorrow, distress or calamity.
We can be enslaved by evil in so many ways that are too numerous to list here in this writing, but we all have a choice to overcome evil with good. Have you ever thought about how to do this?
I personally believe there are three wise ways to overcome evil with good. The first way is to:
1. Begin to train your mind to think good.
In the last chapter of Philippians 4:6-9 we are told what to think upon. In the New Jerusalem Bible it says “Never worry about anything; but tell God all your desires of every kind in prayer and petition shot through with gratitude, and the peace of God which is beyond our understanding will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, let your minds be filled with everything that is true, everything that is honorable, everything that is upright and pure, everything that we love and admire with whatever is good and praiseworthy. St.Paul continues to say: Keep doing everything you learned from me and were told by me and have heard or seen me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.“
We worry in our minds about all of the “what if’s” and most of the time these things never come about. When we worry we invite doubt and unbelief into our life and reap the wages of unrest and lack of peace. Today we call it stress. Stress can bring on high blood pressure and that can bring on dis-ease. It isn’t God that brings these things around in our lives, it is our own seeds we’ve planted in our minds that we've allow to fertilize and grow and produce into fruit that is so unsettling.
St Paul goes further to instruct us to tell God about it. Tell him about our weaknesses and desires. Petition our prayers up coupled with gratitude. If we have gratitude and thanksgiving in our heart; God will always hear your prayers because he sees the sincerity and hears your cry. We have no reason not to believe in the promises of a loving God, all He asks is to communicate to Him from our hearts. If you are struggling in your mind thinking about things you shouldn’t be thinking about; we are told what to think about. If you cannot even think of one thing that is true, good or praiseworthy, then; you need to read about God’s great love for you in the book of John and then think and meditate about it afterward. Begin a new habit, a good habit; but it will take time. The more you retrain mind, the better you will feel about yourself inside. Ask God to help, there are some things that we need help with.
Something to remember is what happens in our minds when we look at something, for example; if you are trying to lose weight and you see a pizza. Then, we begin to think about wanting it. If we know we are going to see this on TV, turn it off; so we won’t think about the temptation, whatever your temptation. Everyone has them.
If you are having a pity party in your mind about how you messed up your life or made the wrong decision, have your party for about 15 minutes and then start to think about how it will all work for you, not against you. Can you really believe that all things work for the good to them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose? Give it all to God and just let it go and trust in Him. We have a choice to think negative or positive thoughts. We have a positive God who cares for your best interests, but you have to believe that too.
2. Do Good. We always feel better about ourselves if we do something good for someone else. The world says you are number one, take care of yourself first; because if you don’t, no one else is going to do it. And, there is some truth to that. We have to keep ourselves healthy by eating, drinking and exercising right. What good would we be to those we love, if we just let ourselves go? But aren’t you glad that Jesus didn’t put his self first? What if he would have backed away from the cross and said no way and called those angels to help him? Instead, he put the wishes of his father over his own and obediently laid down his life for you and me, so we would have forgiveness from our sins. Giving is where it is at in our lives if you want to really feel good about yourself. Give yourself to your neighbor, feed the poor, volunteer, babysit for a single mother who never gets out, Give an encouraging good word and become an ear to someone who needs you to listen to their heart and most important do not judge when they open up to you. There are so many things you can “do good” at. Use your imagination. You will discover that every time you do good, you will feel good inside.
A spiritual cleaning seems to take place inside.
If you walk around the block to help keep off your weight, that is a good thing and you will feel good. If you resist that drink or second helping of food, you will feel good because you’ve done good. Make a small list in the mornings of the things you’d like to accomplish and check them off as you do them. Accomplishing good things will make you feel good inside. See how many good things you can do a day. Smile at others. Smiles are good.
My mother once worked in a nursing home and would come home and tell me about the patients in there. There was one particular woman who used to be a teacher but was now an invalid. She couldn’t move any part of her body, but she had the sweetest and kindest disposition for such a person who was suffering her life out until her end. Her gentle words ministered to my mother who would come home in total awe over her godly character and share them to me. She chose to do good right up to the end and she could smile at the ones who came into her room.
3. Look Good. Even if you are overweight, there are certain things you can wear to help you feel slimmer that will give your moral a boost. Put on some makeup and make sure your nails are painted when you leave the house and stand up straight when you walk. Get a new hairstyle, one that makes you look younger and slimmer. You will develop a bounce in your step and be more cheerful because your confidence will go up a few knots. Looking your best no matter your age will give you a high rating and will help combat and overcome any depressive thoughts that you’ve fought against in the past.
We are all like fruit bearing trees, some of us aren’t ready to be picked yet. In the meantime, we strive to learn to become that perfect round apple or orange that we are meant to be. Others of us have become ripe, and are in the prime of our season, still learning and want to be the best fruit for others to enjoy. Then others have become over ripe and ready to fall to the ground because they have refused to be used or to use the knowledge that was given to them. It could be like someone giving you the key to freedom from evil (where all worms gather); but instead of accepting the key, you just sort of hang on to the branch while all the time rotting your life away.
What can you lose by trying to:
Think Good
Do Good
and
Look Good?
Little by little your life can change for the good!
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