Focus must always empower. It captures our heart and claims our attention. Focus has no preference of its own. It is given to us by the inclination of our heart.
No one’s born a pessimist. We learn it in the setting of our childhood and from the people who influence us the most. It is a learned behavior that can be unlearned. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. The world declares a pessimist to be a realist and an optimist to be an idealist. The Kingdom rightly denounces such nonsense. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he-proverbs 23: 7.
In the mind of Christ, we can change our perceptions and think better thoughts. Our mind is always renewed by the Spirit. Transformation is available to us in the person of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit. In Christ our focus is made glorious by the renewal of the Spirit within. We are no longer made delusional by our circumstances, and our experiences. We can exchange them for better ones. We are never more than a step or two away from an upgrade.
If a million people say a wrong thing, it is still a wrong thing. Jesus is the one voice against many, but his words and perceptions carry more weight than the entire population of this planet. It is the object of our focus that has the most power over us. When we focus on a negative, we allow its power into our lives. It shapes us by stripping away our joy, pleasure, and comfort. It denies us present and future courage. It renders us powerless today and tomorrow. We are reduced, diminished and defenseless against the circumstances of life. We become deluded and bitter when we do not seek the company of joyful people.
Our biggest delusion perhaps is that one day we can get around to changing our mindset and that our current negativity is not really that harmful. A mindset cannot be changed; It must be replaced. Repentance and obedience is the only way that our delusion can be overcome.