How to Deal with Negativity in Life

In my last post, we uncovered the shocking truth: life is basically just one epic wilderness and we’ll enjoy life’s surprises if we walk with God through the journey and hone our skills to be like Indiana Jones in our own way.
 
But I realized I’ve been a grumbler through my journey, not unlike the Israelites who travelled through the desert to reach the Promised Land. hence this series of reflections which I can compare to opening Pandora’s box.
 
Recently I can picture myself stuck in the South America jungles, not as Indiana Jones but as Inspector Jacques Clouseau from the "Pink Panther" film series. While Indiana Jones is a skilled archaeologist, adventurer, and fighter, Clouseau, portrayed by Peter Sellers, is a bumbling and incompetent French detective. Add to that the trait of a chronic grumbler and that would be me as a traveler. "I was stumbling and swaying as I blindly (pun intended) navigated my way through my journey, each step feeling like a precarious dance between determination and uncertainty, I was suddenly pierced with a “Curare” poison covered arrow as I slowly slumped into paralysis. Author Krzysztof Ziarnek describes What you would experience if you came into deadly contact with the Curare plant as it as a cure all or kill all. What happened?
 
Amidst the relentless demands of work and the chaotic symphony of life issues: my family and household, my days have become an intricate dance with stress in the backdrop of current rumors of world wars. One day I woke up so weak I couldn’t even hold up to do my usual routine, not to mention work. I’ve been calling in sick but one early morning my husband had to rush me to the Urgent Care. It was a wake up call to say the least. As I was desperately praying for divine healing, I was reminded how so many times I said, “I wish I weren’t ever born,” or “Why can’t God take me right now?”
Well at that point, maybe God was answering my prayer to take me to our heavenly home but there I was, begging for dear life. I guess I didn’t really want to die.
Job 2:4 Satan answered, “A human would do anything to save his life.
 
In that moment, as I lay in the Urgent Care, my life hanging in the balance, I realized the gravity of my own mortality. I had often grumbled and complained about the challenges life had thrown at me, but when faced with the real possibility of losing it all, I discovered a newfound appreciation for the precious gift of life.
 
As the doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to diagnose and treat my ailment, I couldn't help but reflect on the journey I had been on. Just like Inspector Jacques Clouseau stumbling through the South American jungle, I had been navigating the twists and turns of life with all the grace of a bumbling detective. I had been blind to the beauty of the wilderness I was traveling through, too focused on my complaints to see the surprises that lay around each corner.

In my weakest moment, I found strength in my faith. I realized that my grumbling had been like the Israelites' complaints in the desert, a lack of trust in the path that had been laid out for me. I had been so caught up in the chaos of life that I had forgotten the importance of gratitude and resilience.
 
The wake-up call was stark, but it was also a gift. It made me reevaluate my priorities and my perspective. I understood that life's challenges and uncertainties are part of the journey. We can't control every twist and turn, but we can choose how we react to them. I had been given a second chance, and I was determined to make the most of it.
 
The experience reminded me of Job 2:4, where Satan suggests that a person would do anything to save their own life. In my moment of desperation, I realized the truth in those words. I would do anything to hold onto the beautiful, complex, and sometimes challenging journey of life.
 
As I slowly recovered, I embraced each day with a newfound sense of purpose and gratitude. I let go of my grumbling ways and chose to walk the path with a heart full of faith and a spirit ready to face life's surprises. Just like Indiana Jones, I honed my skills for this epic wilderness, not to conquer it, but to savor every moment of the adventure. Life was a gift, and I was determined to live it to the fullest, cherishing every twist and turn as part of the grand journey.

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Reflection
 
Stop and think for a moment about the recent events in your life. Have you been having grumble-itis?
What are some things in your life you're grateful for? 
Hold onto these things and thank God for the Good things He has done in your life. Remember, it's better to live the rest of your life than wasting it away on negativity.
 
Until the next one, everyone!