Does “Positive Thinking” Really Change Things?

For years my husband and I were horrified by the extremes of certain Christian teachers and advocates of the hyper-faith movement. I can remember one particular horror story that surfaced about a young woman with breast cancer being ousted from her church because the fact that she continued to have cancer and was not healed gave the church a bad name, i.e. it was bad PR for the church. This incident was verified by her father who is a prominent Christian minister to the poor.

Recently I bought a book—at full price, ouch!—entitled Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America by Barbara Ehrenreich who is an established author. This is not a Christian book, but was reviewed in Christianity Today.  The author became interested in the subject after having breast cancer and being bombarded with Positive Think on every hand.

Being a former cellular immunologist the author refutes the theory that strengthening the immune system through Positive Think effectively counters the cancer cells in the body. She points out that the immune system is designed to counter “foreign” cells (such as microorganisms like TB or Strep) and not the body’s own cells. Cancer cells are the body’s OWN cells and therefore not attacked by immune cells! Then she goes on in the book to show how Positive Think has invaded our society and become accepted as “scientific fact”, which it is not, and even how it has invaded the Church.

My point: I would be willing to bet that every part of western Christianity has accepted Positive Think , and even consider it as an expression of the Bible. But, I would like to say that Positive Think, including it’s ability to change reality, is not scriptural. There is a vast difference between changing one’s heart and life in general by thinking positively and putting one’s whole faith and trust in the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says: “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The Word divides between what emerges out of our soul/mind  and what emerges out of our spirit where God dwells.

I am not advocating that every one become a Grinch, but think on this: the Positive Think mantra is really a form of manipulation. Where in the Word are we told to “manipulate” God or one another?  Sounds like some kind of witchcraft!?!