It doesn’t take much to change a mood. A mood is often dictated by events.

Music can put you in the mood, and lighting can set the mood. 

As a hockey chaplain, I meet with players for chapel, but also to check on them personally. This week I chatted with some of the guys after they had lost all three games on the weekend.  You could tell that, even though it was three days past the weekend, there was still some sting from the losses. Their shoulders were drooping a little.  

But this Friday my guys won 4-1 and the mood was different. The guys who were a little shruggy on Wednesday were all smiles after their game win on Friday. 

It didn’t take three wins to change their mood, or a long period of time – just one win did it. 

I remember years ago when you could buy mood rings. They were supposed to reveal the kind of mood you were in by their changing colours. Of course, it couldn’t really tell what kind of mood you were in; it changed colour depending on your body temperature. 

Kids would tease each other for being in love if the stone turned red. But you could quickly get the stone to change your mood by how you held it or placed it on your skin. 

A “yes” or a “no” can also change your mood in an instance. 

You can go into a meeting with your boss to ask him for a raise. A “yes” from him puts you on cloud nine, but a “no” sends you down into an emotional pit. 

One time I was looking forward to going biking on the trails. I hadn’t been on my bike in a week. But when I got up that morning, the rain washed my hopes of a bike ride down the drain … my mood took a downturn rather quickly.

Over the last little while my mood hasn’t been the greatest. There have been a few things that have been really disappointing and they have kind of locked me into a bad mood. 

There has not been anything to change my mood either – no positive that might jolt me out of my mood. 

It seems like my circumstances are dictating my mood, that I’m at the mercy of something out of my control. I feel like a puppet with other people and happenings pulling my strings. I don’t like the mood I’m in but I’m dependent on someone or something to get me out of it. 

But that’s not really true. Things, events, and other people don’t control my mood – I do. 

Your mood is actually based on a decision – your decision. 

I choose what mood I am in. Sure, it’s based on peripherals, but I have control of the decision. 

So today I’m changing my mood. I’m not going to be grumpy, sad, or sullen. It’s my decision, so today’s going to be a good day.

Here’s the thing: You can let your circumstances discourage you and take your hope away, but that is your choice. Resist discouragement and disappointment by focussing on God’s goodness yesterday, His presence today and His promises tomorrow. You have the choice to either zero in on your purpose or your problem, on God’s power or your weakness, on Christ or your circumstance. What’s it going to be? You decide.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What’s got you down lately? Leave your comments below.