Encouragement
God's Will
Question: "How can I encourage people but not make then uncomfortable by talking about God/Jesus/Bible?" Matt, FL
Answer: It’s natural to feel uneasy about talking to people about Jesus. That’s why being a positive and encouraging person is so important. We live in a negative world; a world where most people would rather put others down as opposed to encouraging them. When we stay positive no matter what's happening, we stand out. Mix that with encouraging people and they will want to know what makes you different. Everyone can do that by looking for the good rather than the negative. Tell people how much you appreciate them and why. When you built people up like this they will come and talk to you. They will ask you questions and that will give you the opportunity to share how's Jesus has changed your life.
Question: "How do I put an end to negative thoughts?" Alex, OH
Answer: This is a problem most people deal with on some level. Our imaginations are great if used correctly. Unfortunately, the imagination can work against us if we meditate on the wrong thing. Meditate just means to think about something over a period of time. Philippians chapter four gives us good insight into the dangers of meditating on the wrong things. For the sake of time I will only reference Philippians 4:8 although I would recommend looking at the context from the first eight verses. Verse eight says, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just… meditate on these things.” I didn’t include the whole list but they are all good things. The way to stop your mind from focusing on the negative is to be aware of your thoughts. If you start thinking negative, stop immediately and change your focus to something positive. It will take time to change you thinking patterns but it will get easier with practice. There are times when thoughts can become obsessive and may be associated with a medical condition. If you feel that your thoughts are out of control then you should consult your doctor.