By W. McNair

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     On Thanksgiving Day in 1963 Lyndon B. Johnson stated in a speech to the nation: "Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose." This address was given just one week after President John F. Kennedy died from a fatal gunshot wound to his head. The nation was in a whirlwind after the assassination of such a beloved leader and as a new leader took the helm to guide our country into an uncertain future. President Johnson led a war on poverty and racial discrimination in a very divided country. Many believe that our nation stands at a similar precipice of reconciliation or ruin. 

 

     Now that Election Day has passed, a time of contending for the will of God to be performed in the United States lays before us. President Trump still has not conceded and pledges to fight on as they claim alleged voter fraud. Additionally, for over eight months the United States has been in the midst of a global pandemic, racial and political unrest, and so many questions about what the future will look like. Many people have taken this time to reflect over their lives and make improvements while others have become angry and cynical.

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     Instead of focusing on the situation that is occurring now, begin to focus on life beyond the pandemic and the political unrest. Don't focus on the problem, but look for a solution. It is very important in times of crisis to know that it will not be this way always. Now is the time to prepare for what is ahead. Begin to speak what is next for your life. In your mouth is your funeral or your future. Start decreeing and declaring what you have been dreaming about. The aspirations in your heart may be delayed, but postponement does not mean denial. Perhaps this has been a time to sharpen your vision.

 

     The book of wisdom has some good advice for times like these. Proverbs 23:7 admonishes, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." If you want to change the way you are living, then you must change the way you are thinking. Renew your mind with the Word of God, and tune into the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. Once you are in tune with God, listen as He leads and guides your every step.

 

     Dr. Lohmann in an article entitled "One Tool That Can Change the Way You Think" discusses the importance of reframing a situation to help view what is happening in a different way. Below are excerpts from "5 Steps to Reframing Your Thoughts" in the article dated March 31, 2019:

1. Ride the wave. Thoughts are just a bunch of concepts produced by your brain. They have no emotion nor inherent meaning. You are the author of them and you assign them meaning by how you interpret and respond to them. 

2. Look at the situation from an outside-looking-in approach. Remove yourself from the situation by looking at the circumstance from the outside. This will allow you to observe what’s happening from different angles. You can even ask yourself, "What would I think if someone else were in a similar situation? What advice would I give them?"

3. Put on your detective hat. Ask yourself, “What are the facts about the situation and what are my feelings? Do they match up or are my thoughts magnifying the situation?” Emotions can easily steal the limelight from reality.

4. Hold your horses. When your internal dialogue is screaming out pessimistic negativity, then it’s time to mediate the situation. Rather than jumping on the bandwagon and going along with everything your inner voice tells you, take hold of the reigns and hold your horses. Oftentimes emotions can run wild, and when they do, you can end up behaving recklessly and making impulsive decisions.

5. Sift through the dirt to find the gold. Challenge yourself to look beyond the doom and gloom to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Just like a gold miner, you may have to sift through a lot of dirt to get to that priceless little nugget. Don’t let unhelpful thoughts make you miss a golden opportunity.

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     As you change your outlook on a situation, you will open yourself to receive all that God has for you. Be patience and wait for your change to come. Waiting does not mean to do nothing. Continue to prepare for what's next. When it does arrive, grab it by faith, and watch and see what God does for you. You are a winner!

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