Have you ever been inexplicably happy? So happy that you can’t stop smiling?

This was me not too long ago.

After having a great talk with God before work, I checked my email to some very good news and went to cloud 9 for the morning.

A few hours later, I received a phone call that was trivial but still not encouraging in anyway. After the phone call, I immediately went from “cloud 9” to Earth.

Earlier, I had told a friend the good news and how it would be hard to let anything negative get to me through the next week.

I spoke too soon.

I was caught up in the moment filled with sheer happiness that I certainly thought that nothing could bring me down from the amazing feelings I was having.

And then, BOOM.

A few tense words later, I found myself falling from cloud 9 careening like a rocket out of control, spinning every which way, headed face first into Earth’s rocky soil.

Thankfully, I didn’t let the crash landing be as harsh as it could’ve been.

I kept repeating the good news over and over. I still can’t believe it. I’m excited and have a hopeful future because of it.

But I let a few words get to me. I had to try and hold my tongue from lashing out at a comment that wasn’t necessary.

It can be so easy to get caught up in the moment. Especially when the moment is filled with terse words.

It’ s also super easy to blurt out whatever comes to mind without actually thinking before speaking, which is where we can get in to a lot of trouble.

How will we respond to the negativity that comes our way?

Will we let it roll off of our shoulders? Or will we harbor it and let it fester until we reach boiling point?

Rom. 12:14

“Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.”

The only reason negativity has a place in our lives is because we let it take room in our hearts and minds. We invite it in, offer it some tea or coffee, let it put its feet up and stay awhile.

I don’t know about you but negativity is no longer welcome in my life. It’s time to stand up and be firm letting negativity know it’s time to go.

Obviously, since we are human, negative things will still get to us no matter how hard we try and avoid it, but we don’t have to let it stay awhile.

Satan wants us to dwell on the negative, because if we dwell on the negative we won’t be a mighty force for God. We’ll most likely be sulking, throwing ourselves the ultimate pity party. That’s what Satan wants. He will sit in the corner watching us, laughing at us that we are so wrapped up in what is going wrong that we don’t even have time to think about all that is going right.

Let’s stop letting Satan slither and work his conniving, filthy way.

Eph. 4:27-28a

“Neither give place to the devil.  Let him that stole steal no more:”

Ps. 46:1

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

With God as our source of strength, we can always run to Him when we feel bogged down with negativity.

We can ask Him for strength to stay focused on the many blessings He has given us.

Phil. 4:8

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Today, will we choose to rise above the negativity?

It is not welcome anymore. It has no place here.