Dear friend,
I’ve had quite a few comments about the message last week on cynicism (You can listen to
Soul Killer here.) Several people mentioned that they are really struggling with cynicism.
One thing worth repeating from the message is that defeating cynicism begins in the mind. Paul on multiple occasions says that renewal and new life begins in the mind (
Romans 12:2;
Philippians 4:8). With God’s help, we can change the way we think.
This has been a big help to me as an endurance athlete. I’ve learned that pushing myself beyond pain’s threshold to some new achievement means that I have to stop listening to myself. Negative voices will come from inside me, telling me why this is bad or too hard, or why I should give up and quit. Instead of listening to those voices, I’ve learned how important it is to talk to myself. I tell myself why this is a good thing, why I’m doing this, why I will succeed and what waits for me at the end, or why this matters.
This applies to everything in life, whether you’re an endurance athlete or not. You’ve got to tell yourself what’s good and what’s beautiful and why you will make it to the end. Listen to and let the positive affirmations from God’s word change the way that you think.
It took a long time to free my heart from cynicism, and it will never be completely free. For this reason, I have to be vigilant because the longer soul cancer grows the harder it is to treat.
This Sunday, I’m beginning a new series called
Snapshots of Jesus. The snapshot for this Sunday is of Jesus
getting up very early in the morning, while it was still dark, to pray in a solitary place. You will find out that Luke is the praying gospel.
God works for the good in all things,
David
