Why am I so Troubled on Every Side?
Why do I feel like everything’s going wrong?

 

1. Introduction
   1. I used to know a man many years ago. It just seemed like trouble followed him. He proclaimed to be a Christian but always seemed to be troubled.
   2. He was always feeling like everything he touched or did was wrong.
   3. I was doing a job for him and as I was doing the job, I was in communication with him on an ongoing basis.
   4. He’d be talking on the telephone, and I’d overhear the conversation. Everything just seemed to be negative.
   5. After hearing many conversations, (because I was right there working in the same room that he was in talking on the telephone with different people), I had just had enough of listening to all of the negativity.
   6. I remember saying, “Joe, do you pray?” He said “not as much as I should”. I said “Let’s pray right now for a complete deliverance of this notion that everything you do is wrong. Nothing you hear is right and everything you say is negative.”
   7. I understand that there are many challenges and much negativity coming from the world’s thinking and the devil driving to keep one in that kind of thinking,
   8. but God wants to break that bondage and deliver that person so that person can be free.
   9. It just seemed like this man wallowed and was convinced that God wasn’t happy with him. He could not please God. He always said the wrong things.
   10. When we prayed, it almost seemed as if it didn’t take root. I’ve met many people in my day that were very similar to this man.
   11. The solution to this problem is prayer, receiving God’s Word, believing God’s Word, and trusting God’s Word, and allowing the Spirit to lead and guide the word that’s been instilled in you to overcome the negativity by the Blood of the Lamb.
   12. I’d watch him as he’d doze off in the chair as I was working, or I’d sit and he’d be looking out the window, daydreaming, unfocused
   13. but focused on the negativity that he was going to think about when he was going to call or speak with someone else. It was sad.
   14. All I could do was pray and be a good example and allow my conversation to be the conversation of God’s Word to him as we would have discussions.
   15. He’d begin to speak negatively about whatever it was we were discussing. I soon got tired of listening to it.
   16. I said to him, “If you don’t have anything good to say or anything positive to do, then let me finish my job, because your words can be very tiring, disarming, and discouraging!”
   17. The next day, when I came to work, it seemed like there’d been a sudden change. In fact, it was a drastic change. The words to me were “Good morning!
   18. “It looks like we’re having a nice day. The sun’s out. I hope you can finish the closet that I was working on today. If you don’t, that will be fine.
   19. “You’re doing a great job. Things are looking good.” Then I noticed something very different about Joe.
   20. When he got on the phone, the first thing he said was “I want to be positive. I want to see a change in my way of thinking & coming across.
   21. I don’t want to be discouraging. I don’t want to be negative. As I prayed over the night, something happened. I began to see things in a different light.
   22. “Prayer is a beautiful thing when one is sincere to pray. I believe God has answered my prayer. I never knew how to be positive because I was so negative,
   23. but as I began to speak positively, it began to be easier to do. I feel I’ve overcome.
   24. I’m not totally there yet, but in order for me to see the change, I had to be the change.”
   25. Now let us look into this message today. Why am I so Troubled on Every Side? Why do I feel like everything’s going wrong?

 

2. How many of you can relate to this message? How many of you will be honest to say this might be me?
   1. If you can relate to this message, you need the perspective that Paul gives us in Ephesians 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: We have nothing to complain or be negative about. Everything that we have has been given us by God. We are tremendously blessed!
   2. Do you have a heavenly perspective, or earthly? Ephesians 2:6: And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Imagine for a moment that you are walking around in a city, and there are huge skyscrapers all around, and lots of people. Everything is big and hectic. Now imagine that you are 30 thousand feet in the air in a plane. All of those big things look tiny. The problems look smaller from our seat in heavenly places.

 

3. In an overview, how do you see yourself, positive and negative, or just negative?
   1. Here are some thoughts on positivity and negativity as it relates to us as Christians.
   2. The word “positive” doesn’t appear in the Bible, but Christians can use their faith in God to benefit from a positive attitude.
   3. A positive attitude can help people stay on top of negative circumstances and inspire them to do their best while trusting God to help with the rest.
   4. The Bible offers guidance on how to deal with negative people, who can be those who believe in Jesus and those who do not.
   5. Negative people may focus on others’ faults, or their own, and may regularly point out shortcomings with their comments, attitudes, and frowns.

 

4. If you’re always positive, all heavenly minded but no earthly good, what have you done, or can you do to change this?
   1. You can make sure you are rooted and grounded in the Word of God, no matter what. Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; If you spend time studying God’s Word, spend time in prayer and worship, you can be positive about what God is doing, while acknowledging the negative things of this world.

 

5. When it says that you are heavenly minded and no earthly good, what does this mean?
   1. To be heavenly minded means to set your affections, thoughts and perspective on things above. Colossians 3:2: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. This is a good thing, and we are encouraged to do this.
   2. However, if we are so focused on things above, that we neglect our calling here on earth, we are like the salt that lost its saltiness in Matthew 5:13: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. We need to keep a joyful positive perspective, focused on God, while at the same time, not denying the negative things God wants us to address.

 

6. Why does it seem like whenever I say something, it comes out negative? Or on the same token, why do I look at everything so positive, never realizing that there’s a negative & positive that work together to create a balance?
   1. Here is a negative and a positive to create the balance. First, the positive. Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. We hear this verse so often that it can become cliché, but the truth is, that not all things ARE good, but all things work together FOR good.
   2. On the flipside, this world is winding down and passing away every day. 1st John 2:17: And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Are you living for God every day, endeavoring to fulfill His Will for your life? That will keep you positively balanced.

 

7. Why do I always feel that people are against me?
   1. We need to remember that if God is for us, who can ever stand against us? Romans 8:31: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? We must always seek to please God. Be loving and live at peace with people, but put our focus on pleasing God who is for us, never against us.
   2. If anyone is against you or is persecuting you, remember it is not you that they are against, it is Christ that lives within you. Jesus addresses Paul in Acts 9:4: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Jesus did not say “Why persecutes thou my people?” He said “Why persecutes thou me?” If you are living for Him, this is true of those who appear to be against you.

 

8. Why does it seem like God sits back and lets me go through these different things and I never hear from him. Or feel like he acknowledges me?
   1. The plan of God for your life is far greater than you can understand at any given time. Isaiah 64:4: For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Here are a couple of illustrations that I think will speak to this question of God acknowledging you and working on your behalf.
   2. First, Imagine you have gone to the theater to see a great play. You come to a scene that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Things are not looking great for the character you are rooting for. Then the curtain closes. You wait a long time and think nothing is happening. Then after what seems like an eternity, the curtain goes up and you see the happy ending, and all seems to be wonderful for your hero.
   3. Number 2, you are reading a great story. Again, one that keeps you on the edge. You come to the end of the chapter and it seems all hope is lost for your character. Now for you, you only can see what is happening now, but the person who wrote the book knows what his intended outcome is, and has an amazing comeback in the next chapter for your hero.
   4. That’s how it is with God when you think nothing is happening. He’s always working, and when you turn the page, a new chapter begins. A new day dawns.

 

9. Who in the bible felt these same symptoms?
   1. Solomon, the preacher of Ecclesiastes had quite a negative outlook on life. Ecclesiastes 1:12-14: I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. This is a man who was king of Israel, had everything this world could offer him, and this was his thinking.
   2. Job was a man who could have become very negative. There was nothing positive on this particular day. Job 1:18-19: While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. I’d say that was a pretty tough day, and only the beginning of many tough days to come.
   3. Peter reacted negatively when Jesus was being arrested, and they accused Peter of being one of His Disciples. Matthew 26:74: Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. Jesus had previously warned Peter that he would deny Jesus. When the cock crowed, he remembered and was sorry.

 

10. What was the solution and conclusion that these great men of God came up with to smooth out the transition between negative and positive?
    1. Let’s go back to our buddy Solomon. The whole book of Ecclesiastes contains his outlook of how life is full of vanity, but he finally comes to this conclusion at the end. Ecclesiastes 12:13: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Let’s acknowledge the negative, and live for God every day, and he will keep us positively focused on the rich blessings He brings in this life. Amen?
    2. Now back to our friend Job as we witnessed the absolute worst day of his life. Let’s see how he overcame the negative on this day. Job 1:20-21: Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Could you honestly say that you would react this way, and worship and praise God right after a day like Job had? The most joy-filled positive person in this place would have to admit that he might not respond this way.
    3. We now return to Peter who had denied he even knew our Lord and Savior. He repented, and was restored. John 21:17: He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Peter did feed the sheep, and saw 3,000 souls come to know Jesus.
11. Story: Two Matches in a Matchbox
    1. Once there lived a poor family in a village. There was a matchbox in their hut containing only 2 matchsticks.
    2. The poor family was sleeping at night. Suddenly the match sticks got life, came out of the matchbox and were talking about themselves.
    3. The second asked the first, ” what can you do in your life time?”.Then the first answered “I can give light to this entire house”, and lit the lamp and died.
    4. Suddenly there was a heavy breeze and the door of the hut got open and the lamp started flickering.
    5. The owner of the hut woke up by the sound of the door & observed that the lamp is about to go off & put his hands to protect the lamp glow further, then closed the door & went to sleep.
    6. The other stick laughed seeing this and said “that wass your greatness in this you are able only to give light to this hut but I’m able to give light to this entire village just see the magic”.
    7. Then it lit the hut and laughed loudly. Few seconds later there was heavy rain fall which put off the fire.
    8. So the moral of this story is that having only negative thoughts will never succeed, so you need to add the positive element.
    9. And some times negative thoughts alone may give instant result but in long run it always yields negative results only.

12. Conclusion
    1. How do you view yourself today?
    2. Did this message speak to you?
    3. If this is you, what are you willing to do to change?