Considering
May 07, 2025
“Consider how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! (Luke 12:27-28)
The news is depressing, and the world is going to Hell in a handbasket. But is it really?
“The negativity bias is a cognitive bias that results in adverse events having a more significant impact on our psychological state than positive events. Negativity bias occurs even when adverse events and positive events are of the same magnitude, meaning we feel negative events more intensely.” (https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/negativity-bias)
Our brains may be wired to process negative information more intensely than positive information, but that doesn’t mean we can’t become optimists…or even just realists. But it takes effort…what the cool kids call ‘intentionality.’ Being intentional is really the ‘secret sauce’ to life – the ultimate hack – that moves us from existing into truly living, from being blown around by the wind to building on a rock.
Considering the circumstances
“How’s it going?” “Okay, considering the circumstances…” You’ve heard it. You’ve probably said it. And likely you were referring to something specific in your life that wasn’t going well. But then it grew in your mind and colored your entire existence – your mood, your physical feelings, your perception of life and the future. But negativity bias is throwing your focus out of whack. It’s important to consider reality – the Truth.
The Bible and more recently, psychologists, have identified two great ways to counter negativity bias: meditation and focusing on the positive.
Meditation in the Bible is more than just emptying our brains of stray thoughts, it is considering the Holy Scriptures: what they mean and how we should be implementing them in our lives, as well as deep gratitude to God that He has provided them to us.
At night I remember my music; I meditate in my heart, and my spirit ponders. (Psalm 77:6)
Obviously, this will take some time – that’s the intentionality part. But only in the quiet times can we ever hope to hear God’s still, small voice whispering to us the answers and the wisdom that we seek. God has something for you in His Word today, search it out. This is also an excellent time to search your own heart and see if there are issues there to be addressed.
Focusing on the Positive is essential for good mental health these days. It is an intentional, daily affirmation that there is always, always something to be thankful for. God thought so, too, when he inspired Paul to write:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Negativity bias will always try to pull our focus to the dark side. But seeing the world correctly requires us to focus on how we interact with others, how much we value ourselves and how we worship Him. Like Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, we might have ‘everything’ but if we don’t have love, we have nothing. Consider love – giving it, showing it, encouraging it, growing it. Consider, too, that we were bought at a high price, and our lives are no longer our own. We are now servants of others, on behalf of Christ, humble and peaceable with no thought of any reward but heaven – less of us, more of Him.
To consider what is true, noble and right, here are some thoughts to get you started: God is in control of this world right now; the Earth IS beautiful - experience it with your senses; God cares about our every need and we can trust Him with them; people are never our enemy; if this dying world is beautiful, how much more beautiful will Heaven be; the clock is ticking and lost people need Jesus as their Savior today.
These are the daily practices that keep negativity at bay, strengthen our faith, and allow us to sing, “Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul!””
Have a great day, considering,
Jen