Lies We Believe #5: If I Just Think Positively, Everything Will Be Okay

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”—Philippians 4:8

In 1952, Norman Vincent Peale, a protestant minister in New York City, published the book, “The Power of Positive Thinking.” The basic premise of the book is the belief that our thoughts change our actions, and if we think positive thoughts, positive things will happen to us. And while it is true that thought does determine action and attitude, it is an erroneous and devastating choice to believe that simply because I think something positive, positive things will always follow. If my spouse has a stroke, and I choose to believe that she will be healed, my thoughts by no means make it happen. If there is injustice in the world and children are starving or being sold into sex slavery, positive thinking will do nothing to help them. I may pray for them, take the action and steps necessary to help alleviate the problem, but my simple thoughts of positively thinking about the situation does not change anything.

God desires us to think godly thoughts, not so that we can make God act in a certain way, but so that we might be filled with the joy of knowing Him. Joy is not contingent upon circumstance. Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice”—Philippians 4:4. Rejoicing is also not a conjured up feeling, but a spontaneous response of the heart that comes from knowing that one is secure in Christ eternally while resting in Him daily regardless of circumstance. It begins and ends in the knowledge that we are in the Lord—recipients of His salvation. This joy is the bud of a rose that comes from being planted in the soil of salvation. The power of positive thinking approach takes an opposing tack by presenting the bud disconnected with no roots in the soil. It’s completely antithetical to God’s Word.

We are to think of “whatever is true…” which means contemplating and dwelling on that which is true and beneficial in the sight of God. Those thoughts are the kind that God treasures, and when we continually behold and meditate upon God’s thoughts we are transformed (Romans 12:1-2). May we get rid of any idea that we can manipulate, coerce, or compel God to do anything by thinking positively, rather may God enable us to think His thoughts so that we might become like Him. May He be glorified and our joy amplified. Amen.