The battle within, a war between reality and despair

A kind word from someone when my heart is discouraged can lift me from a funk back into a more realistic mindset of hope. I tend to look more at my personal faults and failures and not think about any positive qualities I might have. I know God wants me to be positive and look on the good side of things, but my nature tends to want to look on the bleakness and darkness. God shines His light around me,but I allow my mind to turn the light into a gray mass of despair. A kind word of encouragement from someone else can help me to change my thinking enough to allow some of God's light to penetrate the darkness I have created. I am thankful for the light, I am also thankful for the kind word that lifts my spirit enough to see the light. I suppose the encouraging words are part of the light, and are a blessing that God gives when He sees I desperately need it. I hope that God will help me allow Him to shine some of His light around me by giving me kind, encouraging words for others.