While I was at lunch yesterday with a friend, she made a comment that stuck with me.  We were talking about a situation with my tiny house that was causing me some stress and anxiety, when she said…

The situation itself is neutral.  It’s your reaction to the situation that is positive or negative.

It took a minute for me to comprehend that.  But then, as the truth of what she said began to sink in, I felt some of the weight lifting off of me.

The things that happen in our life are indeed, neutral.  They happen, good or bad.  But our reactions are what turn them into positive or negative experiences.

Now, of course, an experience like the death of a loved one probably won’t feel very neutral.  How could you react any way but negatively?    But even with such an experience, you can turn the tragedy or loss into something positive.  It’s what I’ve tried to do since my mother’s passing in 2013.

Or if that person had been ill for a long time, had made peace with their situation and was “ready” to go… would you still react negatively?

It’s rather brain-warping to think about, but the reality is that the experiences themselves are neutral.  And it is our reactions that color them good or bad.

We can choose how we react and in turn, how we will allow it to affect our lives.

We can choose to trust that God is in control and that He will use all things for good.

So the next time the negativity tries to creep in… neutralize it!!