I recall talking with a friend once who said that 90 percent of things that happen to human beings are favorable and that only 10 percent of the things that happen to us are unfavorable.
I pondered my own life at that moment. I disagreed, but only slightly. I told him that I thought it was more like 80/20. He responded that even at 80/20, people still have a great deal more positive experiences than they do the contrary. However, people typically fixate on the bad.
Since that day, I’ve had this same philosophical discussion with many others. I am amazed at the responses I get. One person flat out told me that her life was mostly negative. She felt like her pleasant moments were more like 20 or 30 percent, while most of her life was a literal series of unfortunate events.
According to scripture, we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose, Romans 8:28, New International Version. God takes the good and the bad and works it all out for our good. Enough said, right? However, this can be difficult to fathom sometimes — especially when that bad is happening to you.
So what happens to us during the process? Well, if you were to google the phrase: Why do most people fixate on the bad things that happen to them? You might be shocked at the wealth of information that comes up. It’s everything from the ruminating brain, to human tendencies toward negative thoughts.
Yes, sometimes we focus on the bad. However, what do we do when the bad is happening to us? Many of us try and think of Job. But, Job’s story can be a beacon of hope or a hard pill to swallow when it’s personal.
Consider this message from the Forum of Christian Leaders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fit_fmrrxEE.
Have a happy day!
Nicole Major, Managing Editor of Shades Of Goodness, has written professionally for more than 15 years for a variety of publications including the Jacksonville Business Journal, Women in Aviation Magazine and The Herald. She’s written internationally for PC World Egypt, the Middle East Times, and Am Cham Egypt’s Business Monthly Magazine. She is currently a fulltime staff writer for the Fairfield Ledger in Fairfield, Iowa where she has written under the name Nicole Hester-Williams. In 1997, the Arthritis Foundation nominated her for a profile story she wrote highlighting a young woman’s struggle with Rheumatoid Arthritis; she was subsequently awarded a Celebrate Independence Medal. Nicole has authored three books including “Amina, Princess of Zaria,” which was a brief Amazon bestseller for books in African literature in 2007. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in both journalism and social science. She currently lives in Fairfield, Iowa with her husband Jason and their two daughters, Danielle and Gabrielle.
