POWER FILLED POSITIVE THINKING-CHAPTER 1a Why is how I think so important?
It had been a very restless night, as I kept awakening to pray in the darkness. Earlier that day at work something had happened so unexpected and so out of character for the job. I had walked into the office of my boss, a man whom I loved as a brother and respected as a leader where I was suddenly accused by another of having done serious crimes against the practice. The accusations mounted had been being “investigated” and multiple meetings of the board had occurred over the previous 9 months without so much as a question to me or a clarification of the facts—all based on accusation and rumor of one power hunger person wanting to rise. The thing that hurt most, after ten years was that my boss believed the lies as though the truth of who I was had suddenly been forgotten. Instead of defending me, he joined in the accusations. I stood accused, tried, and condemned of a crime not committed. “Anyone else I would have fired” rang out his words; “but, because of all your years of dedicated work—we have decided not to fire you.” Before I left the office that day, I asked the one who had started the accusations why had no one come to me before now and she loudly said in front of all the other employees, “Because we needed to consider whether we were going to make formal criminal charges against you.”
original picture used courtesy of Cheryl Delashmit
So I spent the night in deep prayer. I knew that God was Sovereign over every detail of my life; so, I needed to know why this? What could be God’s purpose? Why did I feel like a knife had been thrust through my heart and I had been left to bleed to death? I did not doubt that God had planned something good in this for me—I just needed clarity as to the next step—God’s plan, God’s will, and God’s timing.
I had known for 3 months that I was to move to Missouri—I had heard God say go; but, patiently I had been waiting for Him to clear a lot of pathways before I could go. I had placed my application for one or two jobs; but, had not heard back. After a restless night of prayer, I prepared the letter of resignation, went in and gave it to the administrator. I did not know what God’s plan was. What I did know was that when God asks you to jump off a bridge, He is going to be there to catch you. That day I worked in the hospital, as it was rare that I worked in the office.
The following day, once more I had to work in the office and face my accuser and my boss. He called me into his office and gently said that none of the accusations mattered. He asked if they were why I resigned. I smiled and said, “No, sir. God has been whispering in my ear that I was to leave; yet, He knew how devoted I was to this practice—so He had to go from a whisper to a shout to get me to do what He had been asking me to do. I knew that it was God who had blinded my boss to the truth so that I would resign the exact day that I did—timing is everything with God. Suddenly, the blinders came off and my boss knew the truth; as though light suddenly had shined into the darkness—he clearly saw that I had not done wrong. Then, he said, “What have I done?” My answer was, “You did exactly what God needed you to, so that I would do what God asked of me.” Everything was cleared from my records and I found that the power seeking employee had lied because there was never a consideration of criminal charges—but God had even orchestrated and allowed that lie. I love and respect my former boss. I recognize that God had blinded him to the truth for a season. It is God who orchestrates every detail of my life and God’s plan for me is always for my good. At my going away party, my boss stood up and said, “Effie has a faith that makes her fearless to face life.”
Have I always had that degree of faith? Certainly not. It has been a step by step process through a life of many trials that has taught me the importance of how I think and how I view every trial. Faith is a gift that God gives us; but, that gift grows as we begin to learn the truth of who we are “In Christ”. Understanding the truth of who I am in Christ, transforms my mind and my way of thinking to positive thinking. The difference between just positive thinking and Power-filled positive thinking is the source on which one places the power. Without the Holy Spirit’s power filling my heart with God’s love, God’s wisdom, God’s strength, and God’s joy; I would be relying on only me and my strength to pull it together. I know how sad that would be. I might look ok for a while relying on my strength; but, in the end it would be counterfeit. Certainly, I know I would have reacted differently to the above scene had it not been for my knowledge of the Sovereignty of God over my life. If I had not learned who I am in Christ, I would have never been able to remain peace filled, joy filled, forgiving, and love filled when accused. Instead it would have been the darkness of a venomous, self-exalting heart that would have responded differently.
So I urge you dear friends to stay with me through this series so that you can learn about who you are in Christ. There you will find joy, hope, strength, love, and fearlessness to face this world. You will learn how to have Power Filled Positive Thinking to guide you.
Isaiah 46 (AMP) 9 [Earnestly] remember the former things, [which I did] of old; for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is none like Me,10 Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure and purpose,
God is Sovereign over Us Listen to this song by Aaron Keyes which so beautifully reminds us of that.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
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©2014 Effie Darlene Barba
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