Accentuate the Positive, Eliminate the Negative

Remember this golden oldie? When I occasionally hear it, it sticks in my head for days. It comes from Johnny Mercer, recorded way back in 1944, during WW2. In a way, it’s actually biblical advice.

CS Lewis talked about this, about the tendency we have to spend all our energy suppressing unhealthy or sinful desires: “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

I think Christians often get confused on this point and, because we do, we often wear ourselves out resisting sinful desires, or even when we serve.

The Bible doesn’t tell us just to focus on being “dead to sin,” but also to be “alive to God.” We’re not just to “put off the old self,” but “put on the new.” Not just to “resist the devil” but also to “humble yourself before God.” In other words, we’re not to use all our energy constantly suppressing the negative, but redirecting that energy into opening our hearts completely to God and giving Him all we’ve got. When we do this, our tank doesn’t become empty because God keeps filling it back up with more of Him. That’s why the load stays light. When we’re abiding in Him, He carries the greater weight, so we don’t get weary as we serve. The assumption is always that we’re serving from the strength we have received.

I think this is why we constantly hear the apostle Paul talking about this abounding joy he’s experiencing in his walk with the Lord. Yet, he was constantly pouring out his life serving others and constantly suffering. Not exactly activities we typically associate with abundant joy.

But this joy was real for Paul. Despite his serious challenges, it’s clear, being joyful was the norm for Paul. I believe that’s God’s intention for us, too. It comes as an outflow, as the fruit of living by grace. Grace is not just that which saves us, God intends for it to be something we receive afresh every day.

And when we do, it changes everything.

Properly understood, receiving grace results in MORE doing, not inactivity and sloppy living. Paul was a champion of God’s grace, and yet…really, who worked harder than Paul, was anyone more zealous to obey and please God than him? The difference in fruit and fruitfulness is amazing when we set our focus on receiving life from The Vine rather than what’s happening at the end of our branches.

How about you? If we hook you up to a “Joy Meter” where would the needle go? Are you experiencing a yoke that is easy and a burden that feels light? Jesus said if we’re not, something’s off, and we should come to Him for an exchange (Matt 11:28-30).

Lord Jesus, thank You for your amazing grace. You have set things up so that we can always draw near your throne of grace and receive all the help we need, no matter what we’re going through. We’re grateful that You don’t resent our weakness, but welcome us just the way we are. Help us to remain aware of Your Presence throughout this day, and to catch those negative thoughts and the enemy’s lies, before they take root. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  - Dan

(NOTE: To read the other posts in this devotional feature of my blog, select “Perfect Peace – Hope for the Weary Soul” in the Category section.)

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