I read about a psychology experiment. Some of the participants were sad. Others were happy.

The entire group was asked to descramble messages. There were a variety of phrases which could be made.

Here’s what happened. The people who were already sad created more sad messages, even though happier ones were possible. And people who were already happy created more happy messages, even though sadder ones were possible.

I don’t want to minimize the feelings of people who are sad. We all know people who are sad—and sometimes in profound ways—and the way out of the darkness can be a challenging road. But the reason I tell you about that experiment is to encourage you to look for the good.

If you’re having a bad day, don’t just focus on the bad. There are times when we think that the sky is falling when it’s only a bit cloudy.

Canada celebrates Thanksgiving in October. In America, it happens in November. This is a great time to look for the good. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Paul says to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” He’s not saying that from a luxury resort or an ivory tower. That guy experienced incredible hardship! But he knew the value of proactively looking for God’s blessings in your life, especially when you feel like so much is going against you.

A threatening sky doesn’t always mean a falling sky. And just because today is tough that doesn’t mean tomorrow is going to be a disaster. Look for the good. After all, God is good, and he is always with us.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

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Notes:

–The Up Devotional is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on October 9, 2023.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.