Positive Thinking Powerful When Thinking Positively the Right Way

Years ago, Norman Vincent Peale wrote a very popular self-help book, The Power of Positive Thinking, when self-help books weren’t yet all that popular. While it received criticism from some mental health experts, theologians and academics, his book explored 10 helpful rules for “overcoming inadequacy attitudes and learning to practice faith.”

 

Among these were visualizing oneself succeeding; drowning out negative thoughts with positive thoughts; not attempting to duplicate others, and recognizing the role God plays in achieving our goals. To be honest, I skimmed the book many years ago, so I don’t recall much of it. But even nearly 70 years since Peale’s book was published, many of his points make good, common sense – to a point.

For instance, picturing ourselves finding success in our chosen pursuits is definitely preferable to envisioning our efforts ending in failure. I have a friend who often quips, “I’m a positive thinker. I’m positive things are going to get worse.” We don’t want to be our own self-fulfilling prophecies. 

 

Comparing ourselves to others and seeking to replicate their accomplishments can also be self-defeating. I’ve learned that during this hard-knocks life. I can’t be someone else, just as they can’t be me. Psalm 139:14 declares, we each are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” We’re unique, not only in how we look but also in the way we think, our innate talents, our experiences, the skills we cultivate, and the spiritual gifts God entrusts to us. So trying to copy others can result in our rejection of how the Lord has uniquely designed us.

 

And if you’ve read these posts for very long, you know I’m all in about the belief that God wants to be directly and personally involved in every aspect of our lives. In his book, Peale asked his readers to repeat, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” 10 times every day. Taken from Philippians 4:13, a more contemporary translation is, “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” This is certainly valid biblical assurance we can trust – although I’m not sure we need to turn it into a mantra.

 

Ultimately, the strength of positive thinking depends on the basis for such thinking. If we adopt a “think happy thoughts” or “don’t worry, be happy” mindset, our apple carts are sure to become upset at some point. Because from the moment we’re born, life is tough; and often it gets harder from there. But if our trust – our faith – is centered on the God of all eternity, His sovereignty, faithfulness, love, grace, mercy, holiness and righteousness, we have every reason for thinking positively.

 

We live in a world that bombards us with negative thinking and information. We wake up and if we’re foolish enough to turn on the news, we’ll want to jump back in bed, pull the covers over our heads and stay there. Sadly, the atmosphere in some homes is negative as well. As someone has said, it’s hard to soar with the eagles when you’re walking with turkeys. 

 

Cultivating a positive attitude toward oneself can help to a degree, but that can’t safeguard us from events and circumstances that are beyond our control. The most positive attitude in the world won’t help a 6-foot-6, 275-pound person to become a world-class jockey. Sometimes our picnics get rained out no matter how positively we think.

 

But as we study the Scriptures, examining and meditating on the life of Jesus Christ, as well as learning about His children – sins, warts and all – we find the best source for learning to think positively. I’ve long appreciated the counsel of the apostle Paul, who wrote, “Finally, brothers, 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” (Philippians 4:8).

 

Each of these adjectives aptly describes the Lord Jesus, and the more we can focus our thoughts on Him and His example, the better our lives will be. We also find incredible treasures in His teachings, whether it’s His so-called Sermon on the Mount or the many other interactions He had with people during His earthly ministry.

 

There was the time Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees, a self-righteous, self-assured group of Jewish leaders, who decided to test Him with what they considered a trick question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36). They probably figured that if the Lord singled out one commandment, they could challenge Him on why He didn’t think others were just as important.

 

But Jesus wisely responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).

In this, He was not only summarizing all of the commandments and their intent, but also giving us a simple template for positive thinking: Love God with all we have, and let love and concern for others be the governing factor in our actions and decisions. If we’re thinking the right way, we’ll find positive thinking imbued with limitless power. Power from above. 

The Power of Positive Doing

In the early 1950s, Norman Vincent Peale authored The Power of Positive Thinking, which captured the imagination of millions of readers. In the book he made observations such as, “Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate,” “The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism,” and “Change your thoughts and you change your world.”

Following his teachings came a wave of motivational messages, declarations like, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” A slew of men and women perched on the Peale pedestal seeking to inspire and challenge aspiring achievers to think higher and dream bigger.

This bee at Busch Gardens in Florida wasn't just thinking
about making honey - it was doing something about it.

Even today the impact of the late Dr. Peale’s thoughts continues to reverberate, his legacy being carried on by many others, ranging from the smiley-faced aphorisms of Joel Osteen and other feel-good tele-preachers, to the fun, “don’t worry, be happy” type tunes sung by vocalists like Bobby McFerrin and Pharrell Williams.

I’m not a positive thinking naysayer. There’s great value in taking a positive, optimistic approach to life. I’ve always preferred to start the day with a hearty, “Good morning, Lord!” than a discouraging, “Good Lord…morning!” And I can remember many times when doubts started creeping in, I was able to cast them aside with a determined, “I can do this!” – and I did.

Maybe that’s why the old Nike slogan, “Just Do It,” connected with so many people. It suggests the power of positive thought, but goes beyond that. Basically it says, “Don’t just think about something – do something about it.”

For instance, do you want a better job? Don’t squander your time wishing and hoping. Figure out what you need to do to become a more valued worker, how to improve or expand your skills. Discover where your talents are, what you like to do, and take the initiative to find somewhere you can put those abilities to good use.

Do you want a better marriage? Don’t just wish it were better – or even pray that it would be better. Figure out what needs to happen to make it better, how you can become a better partner to your spouse, and if necessary, where to find help in making necessary changes.

Positive thinking definitely trumps negative self-talk, but it only goes so far. The time comes when we need to stop thinking and talking and to start doing. I appreciate what the Bible has to say about this. To follow Jesus isn’t just pondering the so-called “sweet by and by.” In fact, He said not to dwell on the future, but to focus on the present. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34).

The apostle Paul told members of the early Church that faith in Christ was not an intellectual exercise, but belief and commitment translated into action. “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:9). Sounds to me like he was preaching the power of positive doing.

Apparently the apostle James observed among those professing to believe in Jesus a similar tendency, to spend more time contemplating spiritual things than implementing those truths in their daily lives. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (James 1:22-24). Seems silly, doesn’t it?

Hammering home his point, James added this admonition: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes, and daily food. If one of you says to him, ’Go, I wish you well, keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:14-18).

The Bible clearly teaches we can’t work to earn God’s favor. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9). But if our professed faith lacks outward expression – through our actions and behavior – chances are good what we believe might be nothing more than positive thinking.

Through the Spirit of Christ, we can enjoy the power of positive doing.