Finding Joy: Committing to a Positive Outlook

It is hard to be positive when we are spammed with constant negativity. But if we are to follow Jesus being positive and choosing joy is something we must try to do. And it begins by keeping our focus on the one who gave us life.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble on its own.”
Matthew 6:33-34

Worries and anxieties often penetrate our consciousness and darken our minds even when we try to keep our focus on God. Philippians 4:6 speaks about how we shouldn’t worry but that we should give everything to God, give Him our burdens so that we are free to pursue Him and be obedient to Him.

“Casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”
1 Peter 5:7

God wants us to come to Him with our troubles so that we aren’t burdened by them. He wants us to be happy and get out from under the cloud of negativity. We are only able to do so because of Him, where our negativity is our weakness He comes in with the strength of positivity and joy that we may not have found otherwise.

“I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13

We often confuse joy for happiness. Happiness is a reaction to something like when someone says something that amuses us and is only temporary. Joy on the other hand is longer lasting and is rooted in the character of God.

Joy is the response we have knowing Christ is within us and in control, it is the contentment and peace we feel with the knowledge that whatever we go through, however hard things get God can use these experiences for our growth or the benefit of others. He uses such experiences to work in us and through us. Our testimonies can be the seed that brings others to God.

This joy helps us to have perspective and to be grateful even in the darkest of times.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind.”
James 1:2

We are to have joy in every circumstance and when we do not have joy we know our priorities have changed and we are trusting in something other than God. When we have joy we trust in God over our abilities. When we have joy we trust that God will work all things out for good just as it says in Romans 8:28.

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28

The thing about joy is that it helps us to be positive consistently. We can be positive without joy especially when we are happy, but it’s a lot harder. Joy and positivity are better together.

It is not easy to have joy. We know that to have joy we must have God in our lives as it is one of the fruits of the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Galatians 5:22

The fruits of the Spirit are activated by God in us therefore we cannot have joy without Him. But even when we do it is hard to have joy because of all the negativity. That’s why it is good for us to open up the bible and read about the hardships people experienced and how God helped them through.

Take David for example he suffered tremendously, the psalms contain poems and songs of the highs and lows in his life and everything in between. He doubted God but held onto the faith that his doubts were lies. He trusted God even in the hardest moments and he thought he would die.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – whom should I dread?”
Psalm 27:1

This verse in Psalm 27 is just one of many examples of David’s expression of faith through poetry and we should be like him in that whatever we face we should praise and worship God with the knowledge it will not last.

In Habakkuk, we read of the prophecy of the Babylonian Invasion and how it would lead to the destruction of Jerusalem. There would be violence, injustice, and wrongdoing of all kinds. Yet the response we read of isn’t completely of fear and hopelessness as you might expect.

“Yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!”
Habakkuk 3:18

Even though this was a prophecy of destruction Habakkuk still had joy, hope and faith. When there would be reason to despair he didn’t because he trusted in the Lord and we should do likewise.

So even when times get hard how can we have joy? How can we keep a positive outlook?

Trust in the Eternal

We can have joy when we trust in God and His promises. We can have joy when we remember that every trial or trouble we face is only temporary. We can have joy when we remember that God is in control and we can give all our worries to Him.

Practice Gratitude

When we take time to practice gratitude we realise how much we truly have and how thankful we are for them. Take time each day and think of at least three things you are grateful for. You could also list three good things that have happened that day even if is just waking up.

Change your perspective

If you’re the type of person who gets upset when someone cancels on them it’s time to change your perspective. Instead of feeling sad and unsure of what to do take it as an opportunity to do something you’ve been meaning to do for a while or just do something you enjoy. Don’t let one sour note spoil the whole day.

Surround yourself with positive people

It is said you are who you surround yourself with, so surround yourself with positive people and you will soon find it is much easier to have a more optimistic outlook on life.

Hydrate

This one may seem random but I promise you it makes sense and that is to drink water. Staying hydrated helps balance out your emotions and can keep the pesky negative emotions from becoming too dark which makes it easier to come back to the light side of things.

Discover your triggers

If you want to become more positive it is good to start noticing what triggers you emotionally and then you can start rewiring your brain into more positive reactions.

Help others

Helping people can help you stay positive because it makes you feel good about yourself and by helping people you can also be helping them to stay positive too.

Have something to look forward to

Find something fun to do each day, something to look forward to that will motivate you and fill you with joy. Whether it’s the TV show you’ve been binging at night or the daily coffee you treat yourself to. It’s good to have something to look forward to.

Positive mornings

Start your day off right with a routine that makes you feel good because if you start on the right note it will often carry through the rest of the day.

End negative talk

It’s time to end the negative self-talk if you want to be more positive and joy-filled. Speak biblical words of affirmation of yourself, and remind yourself of the identity God has given you. Chase away the lies and doubts that the enemy has placed in your mind.

Let go

The most important part of being joyful and staying positive is letting go of the things you can’t control and trusting that God has it handled.

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it helps you to find joy and live a positive life. Let me know in the comments what helps you stay positive.

The light doesn’t exist without the dark, and nor does the dark without the light. But the dark helps us to appreciate the light and the light helps us get through the dark. Don’t let the darkness overwhelm you.

Sources:

Meg Bucher (2023) The Beauty of Seeking Both Joy and Happiness in Christ. Available at: Joy vs. Happiness – The Biblical Difference Explained (biblestudytools.com)