What God is Teaching Me...About Attitude...

"Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths."

(Psalm 25:4)

God is currently teaching me about my attitude.  Being a Christian with a bad attitude is counter-productive to your Christian walk.  My attitude as of late stinks!  I've been in a bad mood for a few days.  I don't have any reason to justify my moodiness or overall sense of "blah"...I'm just stuck in a rut.  Nothing to blame, but no way out.  I have an overall sickly feeling of "all someone has seen of Christ is my bad mood..."

So, what's with the attitude? 

Well, attitude is an outward presentation of inner dispositions of your heart and thoughts.  The dispositions tend to show up in our actions and are usually contagious to anyone who is watching.  The only person who truly knows your heart and thoughts is the Lord, Jesus Christ.  (Thank goodness, right?)  God's word tells us that we can never hide from Him.  He knows our hearts; He knows our thoughts before we even do. 

So, what do we do when we have no idea what's in our heart or thoughts that is putting us in a bad mood? 

Well, you pray for starters.  You ask God to search your heart and thoughts.  You read God's word, maybe starting here...and you start the day over.

Psalm 139

O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
⁵ Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
⁷ Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
¹⁰ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
¹¹ If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
¹² Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
¹³ For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
¹⁵ My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
¹⁷ How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
¹⁹ Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
²⁰ For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
²¹ Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
²² I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I found the article titled "Check Your Attitude" by Dr. Dale Robbins.  He says so well what I fail to put into words.    Read what he has to say about good attitudes and ways to develop one.  Its well worth the few minutes it will take you to read it.

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." (Prov. 23:7)

I don't want to be Negative Nelly or Debbie Downer.  I want to be me, chosen by a risen Savior, striving to be more Christ-like every passing day, living a life full of praises that reflects a relationship with the Lord, fearfully and wonderfully made, with an attitude of gratitude. 

Lord, I've been in such a bad mood.  I don't even have a reason for my sour attitude.  It's just present.  Lord, search my heart and thoughts to remove any form of wickedness in me.  Help me to focus on the mercy and grace you have overwhelmingly poured out over my life and family.  When negative thoughts or feelings creep inside of me, I pray that they will be rebuked by the armour of a holy, righteous God.  I am so sorry for my bad attitude...You have been so good to me.  I am a spoiled brat at times.  I beg your forgiveness and ask for your mercy and grace again...Help me shine for you Lord.  Fill my vessel full of your love and kindness.  May a good attitude radiant from every aspect of my life...from my words to my actions to my most intimate details.  Lord you know them all, and I will continue to trust you to make a dramatic inner change in my life.  Lord, come quickly!  Show up BIG! Amen.