Whenever I find myself becoming harsh, rigid, full of complaints, and uncharitable, I know I am harboring a negative spirit. Nothing is more harmful than this spirit of negativity. It attracts to itself ill spirits, like hardness of heart, that may be etched into harsh facial lines; pettiness spilling over into cheap gossip; resentment that crops up in envy of another’s creativity; lack of forgiveness that harbors feelings of displeasure toward another, to say nothing of maladies like pervasive fatigue, sickly self-pity, and depressive moods. This unloving spirit is always divisive. It thrives on gossip and gripes. Our gracious God has the power to dispel this spirit of negativity, to soften the mark of harshness, to give us the grace we need to prevail over evil and the darkness it breeds. Instead of ignoring others or stepping over or on them, with the Lord’s help, we may be able to open our hearts to all in charity, compassion, and commitment.

–Karen Greenwaldt, For Everything There Is a Season