I was reading a statement by Tom Glavine recently. He said, "I went through the 'don't do this' syndrome at certain times in my career when facing certain batters. I told myself not to hang a curve ball. Sure enough, I did. Now I focus on 'Do this.' It's a significant difference."

How many times have we been done in by the "don't do" mindset? When we diet, we mess up by thinking so hard about what we can't eat that we crave and then give in to the foods we are trying to avoid. Hitters go up to bat thinking, "Don't strike out!" only to have their minds so laser-focused on what not to do, they forget to tell the mind what to do. In the end, what they were trying to prevent becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This principle is also true in our spiritual lives. The Pharisees focused on "don't do this and don't do that." They made God out to be this angry Father just waiting to "get" His children who step out of line. Focusing on what we may give up makes us miss what we will gain.

"Do this" was the way Jesus communicated to us. He said to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Do this and and all the other things will be taken care of.