Healthy Skepticism

Asks Questions

Opens Doors

Seeks Truth

Is Humble

Says, “Help me understand”

Leads to Insight

Cynicism

Assumes Answers

Locks Doors

Shuts Down Truth

Is Hardened

Says, “I already know”

Leads to Isolation

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; ​ but those who live in accordance with the​ Spirit have their minds set on what ​ the Spirit desires.​

Romans 8:5-6

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.​

Romans 8:5-6

Negative, cynical thinking separates us from God and others

It steals our life and peace

Relational Distrust​

Negative filtering​

Absolute Thinking​

Blaming​

Negative events and thoughts tend to ​stick longer than positive ones​

Moving from positive to negative is easy​​

Moving from negative to positive isn’t​ natural and is never accidental​

Three days later, when David and his men arrived home and they found that the Amalekites had made a raid and had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone.​

1 Samuel 30:1-6

David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.​

1 Samuel 30:1-6

Praise the Lord, my soul;​

  all my inmost being, praise his holy name.​

Praise the Lord, my soul,​

  and forget not all his benefits—​

Psalm 130:1-5

who forgives all your sins​

  and heals all your diseases,​

who redeems your life from the pit​

  and crowns you with love and compassion,​

who satisfies your desires with good things​

  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.​

Psalm 130:1-5

Relational Cynicism

With God’s help I will get rid of all ​

bitterness and cynicism.​​

I choose to believe the best about others and be kind,

compassionate, and loving.​

I will love and forgive others ​

as Jesus has loved and forgiven me​

Negative Filtering

God, by your power I take every thought captive ​

and make it obedient to the truth of Christ

Because you are good, I choose to think on what is ​

Good, right, true, helpful and worthy of praise.

As I trust in you, your peace ​

will guard my heart, soul, and mind.

Absolute Thinking

As Jesus loved and accepted me, ​

I will love and accept others.

Rather than always being right I am called to always be loving.

Rather than just making a point, I choose to make a difference.

In humility, I choose to love others above myself.​

Blaming

God has given me a mind and a life of my own.​

By His grace I will own my choices 

and choose His best life for me

God has given me all I need to accomplish His will.

In Christ — I will overcome!