Peaceful Practices | the Pause
I was reading Louise Haye’s “The Power to Heal Yourself” recently, when I was struck - or convicted rather - by a passage. She was describing how, “we are so quick to spread bad news… Too many of us keep recycling the negative stories until we believe that there is only bad in the world” (p.27). I literally paused and put my book down. That’s me!
It had recently come to my attention, how I had gotten into the bad habit of focusing on the negative instead of the positive, the heavy instead of the light. While I’ve always been serious, even as a child, this person was not me and it was definitely was not the person that I wanted to become!
Too many of us keep recycling the negative stories until we believe that there is only bad in the world.
The book goes on to explain how, “most people don’t want to hear good news. They love to hear bad news, so they have something to complain about” (p. 27). Have you ever noticed that? How when one person starts to complain, others join in? It may feel good in the moment but by the end, your all left feeling uninspired and kind of yucky. You certainly don’t feel hopeful.
I don’t know when this bad habit started taking root. I’m sure the election and pandemic last year didn’t help; but even still. It was a choice. What comes out of our mouth is always a choice. Its also, a reflection of what’s going on inside the heart. As believers of Jesus Christ, we are called to hope. Philippians 4:8-9 says, “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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Its not that bad things don’t happen, its jus that we don’t need to discuss them all the time. There is so much good and beauty in the world - THAT is what we should be spreading.
So now, whenever I go to speak, I’ve been trying to practice “the pause”. Taking a moment before I open my lips and consider is this a word of of hope? Of encouragement? Are these words worth speaking? Are they going to uplift? I often keep my mouth shut.
CREATIVE DIRECTION : Making Room for Peace | PHOTOGRAPHY: Jenna Miller Photography