“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Two Attitudes

I wrote last time about waiting, and how that can be part of the suffering we go through in the trials that we face. As I’ve meditated and pondered on this, and then when several things happened recently, it’s made me aware again of how important my attitude is while I’m waiting.

Our attitude impacts everything we say and do. It becomes even more important when we’re walking through hard times. In fact, I think our attitude can turn the tide from difficulties, trials, and suffering into gifts and blessings. So much depends on how we look at things as we walk through life.

The Bible says in Proverbs 23:7, “As a man thinketh, so is he.” Our thoughts and attitude affect everything. What happens is important, but even more important is how we react to what happens in our life.

Author and speaker Charles Swindoll summed it up this way: “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.”

On this unexpected journey, the one thing I’m responsible for is my attitude. I’ve come to realize that there are two very important attitudes I must have.

The first is a heart of trust in God. That is a foundational attitude that impacts everything else on the journey. If I don’t trust in God’s goodness, faithfulness, mercy, grace, and sovereignty—then I’m going to be in big trouble. I’m looking to God to meet me in my weakness, to carry me when I can’t keep going, to counsel me, to be my refuge. But I have to trust Him and trust that He’ll come through for me.

I find it important to speak out, to declare that trust. I say aloud, “I trust You Lord.” I say it, I pray it, I sing it, I tell the enemy—I let that trust build and grow in my heart. I let it consume my heart.

The second attitude that’s so important is thankfulness. Sarah Young says, “A thankful attitude opens windows of heaven through which spiritual blessings fall freely.” A thankful, worshiping heart and attitude changes our perspective from what’s happening to who God is in the midst of the trial. It immediately helps lift the weight off our spirit as we are thankful in the midst of whatever comes our way.

When the day is hard, when the weights are so heavy that I feel I might buckle under the load, I make sure my attitude of thankfulness gets activated. It changes my perspective. My focus is on Him in the midst of the hardship rather than the hardship itself. It immediately lightens the load.

When we plant “seeds” of trust and thankfulness in our hearts in hard times—something wonderful and beautiful will grow in our hearts! See below an example of what can grow from tiny seeds that are planted!

 

“Father, plant seeds of trust and thankfulness in our hearts. Amen.”