Finally, brothers and sisters, 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
We are deep into the election season, and, of course, the political ads are terrible, and mostly not true or they are at least deceptive. Many of my clients mention a sense of despondence, sadness, and general unease with the current political situation. I too find myself more upset and irritable at times given the steady barrage of dismal news that we hear from most news outlets, regardless of political slant.
We often watch CBS network news at 6:30PM and the last segment is called The Good Stuff. They end the news with a brief human interest story that is encouraging and hopeful. I like that idea!
I have been encouraging my clients to find a zone of peace and serenity wherever they can find it. I have restricted my consumption of political news in the late evening, choosing to end my day without the rattles of political fallout. I read my current book, (a good history of early American settlers and their effect on our culture) and hope to get drowsy and fall asleep. It generally works well. I have suggested to those clients that they find books or shows which are heart-warming, humorous, and/or encouraging. They typically report better sleep and more positive attitudes.
So, my friends, we need to look for the places and resources that build us up. There is plenty of bad news out there, but there is also a wealth of good stories if we just take the time to look.
Prayer: Lord, help us to find the things that build us up, Amen
