I have a confession to make. Although most of life, I have portrayed myself as a cup half-full person, I must confess that I am not naturally a cup half-full person. I do not always feel like looking on the bright side. I do not always feel like smiling. I do not always feel like being positive. I do not always feel like being nice. I do not always feel like providing encouragement. I do not always feel like being the bigger person. Notice the key word in all of this is “feel,” so I guess I am not necessarily a hypocrite when I seek to encourage others to be a cup-half full. Instead, I recognize that I cannot live my life based on feelings. I choose to live my life based on faith.
As I get older and life gets tougher, I have learned that Lawrencina, the encourager, sometimes needs to be encouraged. I have learned that I cannot give from an empty cup. I have learned that it is ok not to feel ok. I have learned that it is ok to ask for help. I have learned that it is ok to admit that you cannot do it all. I have learned that it is ok to put down the Super Woman cape. I have learned that although the Bible tells me that I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me, God does not necessarily want me to try to do all things. I am not all powerful; God alone is all-powerful.
Life is about choices, and I have learned that being a cup half-full person is a choice. It does not come naturally. It is a conscious choice that I must make not only daily but throughout the day because life is tough. Life tries to knock us down. In this battle of life, I get sad. I cry. I feel depressed. I feel afraid. I sometimes question myself and struggle with my self-confidence. Thank goodness, I am not fighting this battle alone. I have God fighting with me. He helps me to look at life through a different lens. He helps me to be grateful instead of grumble. He helps me to worship more and worry less. He helps me to focus on His promises and not my problems. So I am not a hypocrite when I encourage people to be a cup half-full. Instead, I am a human being who realizes she needs the Holy Spirit to help her look at life through a cup half-full lens.
If you are an imperfect person like me, who realizes you cannot survive this life focusing on your feelings but need to focus on our perfect Heavenly Father, then I invite you first, make sure you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior, and secondly, to consider purchasing a copy of my forthcoming book, Look Up, Step Up, and Soar: Lessons of Hope, Restoration, and Transformation for Life’s Journey. In this book, I share stories about how I learned to surrender to God so I could look at the ups and downs of life as a cup-half-full person. I explain how God can empower us to not only survive in this battle of life, but also thrive. There is hope, joy, happiness, and peace in this world. We just need to make a conscious decision to look for it. Today, I challenge you to look at life through a cup-half full lens. I encourage you to Look Up, Step Up, and Soar! Be encouraged. Choose joy. God loves you, and He is working everything out for your good.
Book pre-orders available at www.soar2bmore.com/book.
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