Christianity Oasis Forum

[kimberly]

Attitude: a mental position with regard to a fact or situation, b: a feeling or emotion toward a fact or situation.

Attitude: a negative or hostile state of mind b: a cool, cocky, defiant, or arrogant manner.

One of the things I work on continuously is my 'attitude'. At first, it was a 'Me' attitude that I had to change. Then, there was a 'defeated' attitude that had to go. I worked on developing a 'thankful' attitude, instead of a 'negative' attitude.


Each of these involved emotions that came from a mind full of thought patterns. My mind would think certain things, then I would feel the emotion, and show the attitude.

Emotions play a huge part in attitude. If you ask yourself right now, "What is my attitude about God?"---no matter what it is, it causes you to feel something.

Our attitudes show up in what we say. In my 'me attitude', I would say, "why doesn't God answer my prayer?", because, my attitude said, "the prayer is about me and what i want! Answer me NOW God, and it better be the right answer!"

In my 'defeated attitude', I would say "God doesn't care, because nothing is happening", because my attitude was, "This all sucks and life is a drag."

In my 'negative attitude', I would mouth, "Nothing I do works, and why should I try? No one else is trying", because my attitude was....."It's not MY fault, I have to do everything."

I got a rude awakening to exactly who I was and how I thought about God when I began a morning devotion and this popped up one day:

Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

Part of my devotion time was meditating on the given scripture. I would write it on a small index card, and carry it with me during the day. When I had a free moment, I would pull out the card and study the scripture. I would think about what it was saying to me personally, what could I learn from it about myself?

It was the last line tat hit me the hardest. "....It (God's Word) judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

God knows I had plenty of attitude. But it was the first time I knew that they were a product of my thoughts, and had taken up residence in my heart, where Jesus also had come to live.

it bothered me....the idea that my heart was full of poor attitudes. How cramped did He feel in there with all that hostility? Those attitudes had become habit. The thoughts that created them were miserable, and made me feel tired and discouraged.

The good news was, Jesus had come to live in my heart as well. Though I felt badly that He had to share dorm room with my attitudes, it was the best thing that could have happened.

Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

The Word, Jesus, is living and active. He can cut out the poor attitudes expertly if we are willing to change. Soulish, negative attitudes that involve mind, will and emotion can be changed by making an effort.

Ephesians 4:22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

It begins in the mind. Thoughts that lead to negativity about God have to be cut out, and replaced with righteous and holy thoughts about who God truly is, and what He has accomplished for us. Meditating on his Word, hearing it spoken, and calling on Him to help us are all necessary.

Changing your thinking does change your attitude. It's not easy, but with Jesus, it can be done. It takes a true desire and effort. It takes saying things different from the same old stuff we've been saying.

It takes accountability. Admitting we've been wrong in our attitudes, that it's up to us to do the right thing, no matter who else isn't. We choose our emotional state by what we choose to think and say.

God has destined us to be like Himself, a new person full of righteousness and holy in our actions and words. The old self will deceive us and lead us into unholy thoughts and feelings towards Him. We truly can choose how we feel, and how we don't.

Jesus is our living, active example........
Phillipians 2:5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

Attitude towards God is a huge deal. jesus, in His human form, didn't try to be God....rather, he tried to show to the world, who God was. He chose to serve God with His attitudes, and His words and actions.

[---]

AMEN KIM!!

Attitude is a choice as you stated.
Attitude shapes our day...our relationships, our life... the way we interact with Jesus.
As for myself it is a constant decision to have a good one or to give in to one I should not. Some days I win however...some days when my attitude does not reflect my commintment to Christ, I truly loose.

Thanks.