Pastor Charles R. Swindoll shows us just how important having the right attitude can be when he stated the following: “I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.”1
And I believe the key to having the right attitude in all situations and circumstances in life is how we view God. I love what Pastor Rick Warren shared here: “Happy moments, PRAISE GOD Difficult moments, SEEK GOD Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD Painful moments, TRUST GOD Every moment, THANK GOD.”2
Let’s take a brief look at each of these five moments in Pastor Warren’s quote above and see how they relate to God.
Happy moments
Our attitude, when things are going well, should always be to praise God. That should be obvious. But even when things are not going well, we should always praise God since our praise shouldn’t be based on our happiness but on who God is. (Psalm 150:2) says: “…Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!” One of the greatest insights the Lord has shown me is that we praise God not based on how we feel, but based on who He is. And since God is always good and great, He always deserves our highest praises.
Difficult moments
When we are going through trials the best advice I know of is to seek God for wisdom on how to handle them and to help us maintain a positive attitude; since as Christians we know that God is going to work them out for our ultimate good and His glory. So why fret when we know that all trials can be viewed as stepping stones and opportunities to bring glory to God.
Quiet moments
I believe when we find ourselves with some free time, yes, we may want to read a book, but it is the perfect time to just talk to God and worship Him. Quiet time is the perfect time to just get alone with the Lord and adore Him! And by the way if you do choose to read a book, why not make it the Bible.
Painful moments
In life we all will go through painful moments. I have learned in my own walk with the Lord, especially when I went through an 18-month period of severe clinical depression in 2004-2005, that the only thing that kept me going was that I trusted God that He would see me through. While my emotions were always down during that dark period of my life, I still maintained a positive attitude even though I didn’t understand why I was afflicted with depression or when it might go away. And without trusting God who can we trust. God will never let you down and as a result it is incumbent to always have an up attitude!
Every moment
(1 Thessalonians 5:18) says: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I believe that every moment we are here on planet earth we should cultivate an attitude of gratitude. One, because we see in this verse that this is God’s will for us. Two, a thankful heart, will generally add years to your life and health to your body. And three, how can we not always be thankful when we know that next to the Trinity we are the most special people in the universe and God’s treasured possessions. My friends just turn your eyes to Jesus and I believe every moment you gaze upon His wonderful face will be an opportunity to just say thank you!
1 The Value of a Positive Attitude (insight.org)
2 TOP 25 QUOTES BY RICK WARREN (of 720) | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)