“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” —Proverbs 17:22
When I opened Facebook two days ago, I found the following list of “ten attitude busters” posted by a friend that were mentioned in a recent sermon she heard at Victory Church in Lakeland, FL:
Ten Attitude Busters
1. Never take opposition personally.
2. Never speak when negative thoughts loom.
3. Maintain an attitude of grace and mercy.
4. Run from the pity party.
5. Pray and allow the person of God to show through.
6. Choose your battles carefully.
7. Understand the nature of opposition.
8. Choose to be a victor, not a victim.
9. Be compassionate.
10. Always honor God first.
As I read through that list, I was reminded of just how important our attitude is no matter what is going on in our lives at any given moment. And considering that this is an election year here in America, our attitude can definitely get bent out of shape. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be an election year for our attitude to get bent out of shape. It can start as soon as we get out of bed in the morning.
In article published on July 2, 2011, titled “How Important Is Your Attitude?” by Jan Coates, international speaker and author, she states:
Your attitude is one of your most valuable assets! Stanford Research Institute reports that only 12.5 percent of our success in life is determined by knowledge; the other 87.5 percent comes from attitude. More than skill, knowledge, or aptitude, our attitude dictates our success in life.
Did you know that? Perhaps you’ve never thought of it that way before. Chuck Swindoll, bestselling author, writes, “I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. The attitude I choose keeps me going or cripples my progress. When my attitudes are right, there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme.”
Most of us believe we possess a positive attitude. But what would happen if we asked our best friend or spouse for a no-holds-barred honest assessment of our attitude? Chances are high their comments might include:
*Not too bad after three cups of coffee
*Little things get blown out of proportion
*Irritable and moody
*Overly sensitive
*Whiny
*Frets and worries over everything
*Unforgiving toward certain people
In the midst of foreclosure notices and layoffs and personal and professional pressures, it is hard to maintain a positive attitude 100 percent of the time. Why? Because we’ve become reliant on outside influences, such as friends, family, teachers, bosses, and media to color our perspective. We wrongly believe attitude is something we’re given or born with, rather than a choice we make.
That was the mistake I made in my early life. Due to many factors, including abuse, my childhood lacked a positive, healthy environment. Bitterness, anger, and envy hovered over me like an unwanted black cloud. I made major wrong decisions and bad choices and lived with the consequences. In other words, my past circumstances contaminated my attitude.
Then I discovered that a positive attitude is not something that goes on around you, but rather, it resides within you. A healthy, positive attitude comes from within your heart, mind, body, and spirit. It can’t be bought. It can’t be manufactured. You can’t inject it, transfer it, or swallow it because you already possess it. It begins with a decision—one that you make.
The Bible clearly says, “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart” (Matthew 15:18, NIV). The English word “heart” referred to in this scripture translates to the Greek word “kardia”—the fountain seat of thoughts, passions, desires, purposes, and endeavors. These components interrelate and produce:
*Positive or negative words.
*Positive or negative actions.
A from-the-heart positive attitude requires a lifelong commitment to change the way we view everyday experiences as well as the challenges we encounter. It can only happen with a sincere desire to experience a new, positive you. I know that was the only way I ever made it out of any of the deep, dark pits I was in—and it’s the only way I stay out of them today.
God filled me with a desire and the power to transform my attitude from negative to positive. I’ve discovered the honest-to-goodness, power-filled benefits of a positive attitude, including:
*More energy
*Less stress
*Ability to rebound from defeat
*Better physical and mental health
*Improved coping skills
*Flexibility in day-to-day living
*Enhanced relationships
When you’re willing to honestly look into your heart and do something about what you discover, then with the help of Jesus Christ, you can begin to experience godly, positive change from the inside out. (Quote source here.) (Additional information from a book by Jan Coates that was published in an article on August 20, 2011, titled, “How to Change Negative Attitudes to Positive Ones,” is available at this link.)
That list of ten attitude busters as well as the article above should inspire us to check our own attitudes on a daily and maybe even an hourly basis. I’ll end this post with a reminder from Romans 8:28 that will help us in adjusting our attitude in the right direction no matter what is going on in our lives. That verse states: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” And that is a . . .
Very . . .
Good . . .
Reminder . . . . 
YouTube Video: “Intentional” by Travis Greene:
Photo #1 credit here
Photo #2 credit here
Photo #3 credit here
Sara's Reflections 