Attitudes!

Attitudes! We are born with them! They are a definite part of our personalities, but often, if they go unchecked, they can get big, bad, and out of control fast! How do I know this? I was born with one!

I believe we can also pick up mannerisms, thoughts, ideas, and attitudes from the people we are around! If we’re sitting around the break table discussing our spouse’s shortcomings, we might go home with a negative or resentful attitude. Possibly, that attitude takes seed, and other hurts and slides start to surface, and boom, you have a full-blown attitude.

Maybe you are at lunch with some of your friends from work, and the boss becomes the afternoon’s topic! I imagine every shortcoming and unlovable deed gets discussed along with all the negatives of the company you work for! It doesn’t deem well for tomorrow’s work attitude.

Our minds, mouths, and brains resemble muscle; building and using them properly has the same result as going to the gym and toning and building our muscle mass. With the proper workout, diet, and dedication, we can lose weight and tone our bodies. Guess what? We can do the same with our thoughts and attitudes, but it requires the same hard work daily. Trust me on this one!

Once again, we find ourselves at God’s Gym! Jump on the treadmill, here we go.

Philippians 4:8 ESV: “Finally, brothers whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

In other words, stop and take captive the negative, unhealthy thoughts and replace them with positive, good ones! Indeed, if we try, we can always find something good out of a bad! Change your mindset, stop dwelling, get up, and look out your window for something new to look at and think about! Nature always gives us a new perspective.

Romans 12:2 ESV: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Here, we find God telling us not to sit at the table and gossip, not to sit across from our spouse dwelling on a past grievance, not to conform to the errors of the world! But by trusting in the Lord and testing his ways of right living and thinking by following the scriptures, we can discern the right attitudes.

What happens when we let our flesh rule our spirits? We are angry, we are even justified, and mean words spew out of our mouths! In moments of hurt, ugly thoughts swirl like the funnel of a tornado, and that tornado is looking for a place to land! Then it lands!!! Destruction takes place, and the damage is everywhere! Now What!

We look up with a contrite spirit and turn to:

1 John 1:9 ESV: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Thank you, Lord, for understanding that we are but flesh and blood in a tainted world. We try hard but often fall so short of your glory! Thank you for revealing the harm to ourselves and others as we sit in our attitudes. Thank you for pulling us out of the mire, cleaning us up, and sending us on our new path of peace, joy, acceptance, and grace. For your word tells us the grace we extend is because of the grace we receive. In your name, Lord Jesus, I give thanks for your daily doses of Grace. Amen ☺️