The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Think that your miracle could happen today
Years ago, actress Halley Mills starred in a movie called Pollyanna. The story was about a young girl who moved to the United States from England to live with her aunt.
Throughout the film, Pollyanna always searched for the positive side of each situation. Pollyanna didn’t ignore the negative. Rather, she chose not to dwell on it. This young girl did her best to look for the good in herself and also to see the good in others. Pollyanna tried to make something beneficial out of every circumstance, adversity or disappointment. Yet, because of her kind nature, others began to scoff at her.
The reason Pollyanna came to the United States to live with her aunt was because her mother and father both died as missionaries in Africa. Pollyanna was left homeless.
After disaster struck the town in which she lived, the townspeople realized how Pollyanna’s optimistic attitude was helpful in changing the lives of the people in the entire village. Pollyanna made each person happier and assisted them in seeing just how important a positive mindset is in life.
Your thoughts can determine how you view situations. And they may be the prophet of your future. Every morning, at 6 a.m. our cats want to eat. When they hear me open the can of food, no matter where the cats are in the house, they scurry toward the kitchen to their bowls. Sometimes, we are like our hungry cats, and we scurry toward pessimistic thoughts.
Scripture tells us, “to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.” (Romans 12:2). So, examine your thought-life. What sort of thoughts are covering your mind? Are negative thoughts trying to persuade you that, “You’re not good enough,” “You can’t overcome the past,” or “Circumstances will never get better,” until eventually, you just settle for defeat, recoil, and quit?
But this is a new day. God has amazing plans for your future, and they are good, real and definite plans. He sees who you are today and, moreover, what you are capable of becoming tomorrow.
Once, I read that Edgar Allan Poe wrote, “My personal library has two thousand books in it. Unfortunately, they are all copies of my first book.” The lesson here is that Poe did not choose to center his attention on the problem. In its place, he worked on a solution by using his creative energy to persist in writing. Centering his attention positively on new possibilities for the future, Poe went on to become an illustrious writer and poet, and his works continue to influence literature in America and around the world.
Perhaps, it’s not that you can’t go any further, you will not overcome that challenge or that you won’t accomplish your dreams; maybe it’s just that you’ve convinced yourself that you cannot succeed. Therefore, let go of the past hurts, errors, and break away from anything that is weighing you down. God wants to do mighty things for you, with you, and through you. And His divine plan is not disregarded because of what someone said about you, a closed door or a mistake. So, when any kind of unconstructive thought comes into your