Depends On How You Look At It

Imagine you are on a beautiful, white, sandy beach; the sky a brilliant blue; the ocean waves are gently lapping on the shore; the temperature is just right; and you are sitting in a comfortable chair under a slightly swaying palm tree. You are taking all this perfection in, thinking how right your world is: you are in paradise. Suddenly, out of the blue, “plop” a giant sea-gull just used you for target practice. This is what happened to the author, Max Lucado.

Afterwards, Max couldn’t quit thinking about what the bird had done, the rest of the day in “paradise” lost its sheen. Even though nothing else had changed about the day, its perfection was now lost for him. Max’s outlook and attitude about the day did a complete turnaround because of a negative situation.

This book is about the affect perspective has on one’s circumstances, and living each day to its fullest. Instead of allowing a terrible experience to color the rest of a day badly, as Max had done during his day at the beach, Max dares us to do the opposite. In fact, he proposes that even if a day is filled to over flowing with horrible experiences, we don’t have to give into negative feelings.

The whole book is full of challenges to view each day differently–if it is a ho-hum day to a really bad one. Max encourages us to do the opposite of what our gut reaction, or human nature, would normally pick. We should make each day count, live life as if the day we are currently experiencing could be our last one. He reminds us the greatest happiness often comes from self-denial, and going the second mile in life situations–doing more than we have to, or is expected. A lot of how we feel about situations is the attitude we choose to have. What our focus is on determines what we perceive our situation to be. Even in really good situations, if we look long enough, we can find something negative. We have the choice. Will we focus on the one good thing in a horrible day? Will we choose to focus on the one bad thing in a great day?

The author is not “Pollyanna” about life. He acknowledges the dreadful circumstances that we can find ourselves in. But he still inspires us to stay on the positive side. Max suggests we pray more, because “no one can pray and worry at the same time”. He tells us we need to be looking up–up to God, and realizing how special we are to Him. Not only are we cherished by God, we are like no other person on earth because of the unique experiences each of us has lived through.

Max suggests that “your past is a signpost to your future” and that we ask God how our experiences of the past can be used today. For instance, Moses’ life growing up in the house of Pharaoh gave him the experience and qualifications decades later to appear before the court of the Egyptian king with the demands on behalf of the Israelites. Our exclusive history has prepared us for our life; we need to turn to God for help using those experiences for today.

The back of the book contains a 30 day journal, or what he calls “day changers”. It is thoughts and ideas from the book along with the challenge each day to put them in to action in your own life.

Although I am very familiar with the name of Max Lucado, this is the first thing of his I have ever read. The book makes you feel very positive, so for that reason alone, it is worth reading. I liked this book very much, it is easy to read, and I recommend it.  It gets five shining stars!

The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze/Thomas Nelson Publishing for the purpose of review on this blog. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner.

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• Great Day Every Day: Navigating Life’s Challenges with Promise and Purpose by Max Lucado (lightatheart.wordpress.com)