Sometimes, we have to be careful with our BUT.
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You read it right. But I’m not talking about your behind. I’m talking about that sad, transitional word that goes along with what we normally say when we’re not in the mood to believe, to trust or to do something significant.
In fact, the word BUT is a confession of small thinking that leads to puny or at worse, insignificant and eventually, tragic results.
Consider the 10 spies (there were 12 all in all) that Moses sent to check out the Promised Land in Numbers 13.
They were actually 12 of the top leaders of the Israelite community (check out verse 3).
They were handpicked by Moses who will spy out the land of Canaan, check out the place, where its strengths and weaknesses are as well as bring back some fruit of the land that indeed, it’s the “land of Promise”.
The Spies Boys did what Moses told them and here was their report.
“We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” (Numbers 13:27-29)
Caleb, one of the 12 spies, tried with all his might to silence the “But-people” by saying, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
His faith however, was drowned by the 10 spies’ negative confessions. Verse 31 continues, 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored…
Result? The Israelite community grumbled before Moses and God. They refused to believe that God is able to lead them to the Promised Land.
Their minds were so clouded with negative thoughts that they forgot that it was God who parted the Red Sea so they could cross safely and completely break free from the cruel Egyptians.
You see, your mindset dictates your emotions, feelings and actions.
A wrong and negative mindset brings disastrous results. What’s worse, your negative mindset can paralyze you with fear while you can also affect other people.
On the other hand, a good, healthy mindset is rooted firmly on God’s promises from the Bible.
Philippians 4:8 says, “…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.”
If you have the tendency to feed your mind with negative things—from the media, internet news or even from your friends, get as far away from these as possible.
Cultivate a positive mindset that comes from God’s word.
And soon enough, you’d notice that big, word disappear from your vocabulary.