My Cheerful Best

Dedicated to my friend Jenny-

Attitude is closely connected to our worldview.  What we believe, our thoughts, and emotions, our experiences, and the environment around us all effect our behavior.  Our tendency to respond in certain ways (either negatively or positively), our perceptions, and especially; how we view, judge, and evaluate the world around us make up what will ultimately become our worldview and the attitudes we hold.

This means we all have certain ways we like to think that structure our thought life. We have patterns of thought and mental dispositions unique to ourselves.

How do these structures emerge and where do they come from? Only God knows everything about us but we can guess that a good deal of our tendencies are rooted in past experiences. Some of the patterns we learn come from thinking logically about a subject (Acts 17:22-31) while others develop from observation and perceived attractiveness(Genesis 3:6). Still yet, our thoughts and beliefs are continually affected, whether we like it or not, by the company we keep. All of these have their root in our life experiences. (1 Corinthians 15:33, Proverbs 27:17, Hebrews 10:23-25)

How many of you HATE broccoli, but couldn’t really say you remember what it tastes like? How many of us would consider a horseback ride dreamy and relaxing, and how many of us would be utterly terrified by such a great animal?

All of our choices are grouped and analyzed by us in real time: good, bad, neutral, ambiguous, yellow (for my synesthesia friends) and a decision is made.  Perhaps the risk of falling off a horse is well worth the fun that comes with it. Maybe the possibility of being bucked from a horse is what makes the activity fun and challenging or maybe it’s your anxious nightmare. If we all think so differently, how can we cultivate a resilient attitude, one that is prone to positivity and graciousness but prudent and full of discernment?

To have the right attitude we must first begin with the Word of God. We must allow God to refine our thinking by being in the Bible and letting scripture change us from the inside out. Building resilience and strength of mind involves aligning our lives with God's Word. Scripture not only nurtures our mind and spirit but fosters and advocates for supportive Christian relationships. In reading God’s word daily, we are anchoring ourselves in the unshakable hope that is found in Christ, alone.

We, as Christians, believe that what the Bible says- IS FACT. A reality that is not just for ourselves but for others also. When our thoughts are filtered though the promises of God, we are given the advantage of building on truth and understanding our circumstances from a “Big picture” view. This makes it easier to focus on others, give sacrificially, and even die for our faith because we know that God is in control and that our sacrifice will be rewarded.

The happiest people are those who are focused on the needs of others over their own. (Philippians 2) Self-improvement is too often a trap of the enemy. If we are engaged in relentless evaluation of ourselves down to the negligible minutia, we fall into the same pattern of thinking we are trying to avoid. For whether we think too highly of ourselves or too low we are still ultimately focused on the same thing(self). This is not to say we should never evaluate our inner selves, but that we can error in evaluating too much.

We must trust the character, wisdom, and sacrifice of our Savior. Trusting on God’s promises and and his ability to fulfill them will help us to stay future-oriented and outwardly-focused apposed to the desires of the here-and-now.

Having the assurance of God’s love means I am able to take correction positively. I can see failure as a learning opportunity because my relationship with God is secure, and I am loved even when I experience or choose failure. Having a strong relationship with the Lord also helps us to take responsibility of our sin because there is no fear of judgement. As a Christian we have an amazing opportunity, thanks to Christ’s sacrifice, to confess our sins and restore lost fellowship with God and others. (1 John 4:18, Romans 8:1)

Our identity, our strength, our circumstances, and all our resources come from God. This is not self-efficacy but a God-directed, God-efficacy. Faith and trust in God will never disappoint. They will produce a harvest of hope, and not one of hope alone, but one of courage and freedom. (Romans 5:3-5, Galatians 5:1) Only christians have a guarantee of success (in their faith) because that guarantee rests in Jesus, Himself. This does not mean that success in terms of progress will necessarily come automatically or even in this life, but eventually ALL of our struggles and problems will be resolved. Only Christians then, can have the ability to always think and act positively and have  their positivity be rewarded.  Friends, there are real rewards awaiting us in heaven.(1 Corinthians 3:13-15)

How can we ensure our attitudes are affected by Biblical truth?

In all things I must have a correct understanding of who God is and His holiness. Knowing my need for God and the many ways I fail Him, and understanding my position before The Almighty- must- and will, produce humility. This fear and reverence of God is necessary from the beginnings of faith until the end. It allows us to be teachable but also produces a humility that is bathed in thankfulness. Humility and thankfulness run in the same vein. In fact, who knows which comes first? For humility begets thankfulness and thankfulness is the heart-full kindling of humility.

It is an important distinction to know the disposition and orientation of our thoughts. There is power in framing things the right way and strength in being selective about the ideas you allow to bounce around in your head. In fact, your emotions and actions will, in this way, be steered in the direction of your thoughts. (Philippians 4:8) This is not a call to think positively so that positive things will happen to you. This is again, a call to see things clearly through the truth of the Bible and to live in accordance with it even if we are caught in a season of waiting.

This means we frame things correctly when we see the world with spiritual eyes that are grounded in Truth. This is not toxic positivity or fatal optimism. It is a discipline that is hardly ever easy.  We are to hold every thought captive. That is, to catch every thought and subject it to the Word of God by making it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) If your thoughts are anything like mine, you know many of them are only going to subject themselves kicking and screaming….and that can be very difficult, indeed.

But take heart, the scripture says that Jesus learned obedience (e.g. resilience) through suffering. (Hebrews 5:7-9) So when you are in your moment of despair and tempted to think in a way that is contrary to the gospel, bind up the thought and choke it out with the help of the Bible. Replace the lying words of our enemy with specific truths from scripture and plant life into the furrows of your mind. (Hebrews 4:12, Jeremiah 20:9, 23:29)

Honoring God with our hard moments can look different in every situation.  Sometimes it may look like hope or optimism, other times like courage or simple kindness. We will all struggle with our attitude at some point but if we are disciplined a good attitude can become our habit.

Jesus is always our ultimate example.  We know he had times of great seriousness and stress. We see him teaching and rebuking, passionate, zealous, and sad. Yet Jesus exuded more joy than any other person who has ever lived. Jesus was perfect, whole, and present. He kept perfect accounts of His thoughts and emotions even when confronted with the cross. (Hebrews 12:2) True strength of character and thought, resiliency, and self-control are ultimately a gift from God given though the Holy Spirit, though we do need to cooperate. (1 Thessalonians 1)

We all have difficult days. Days that are exhausting and hard.  Sometimes those days can be significant turning points in our lives. Yet, we are only allowed the moment we are in to be faithful.  If you are waiting to move in faith, know this; once the miracle has happened it is, by definition, too late to have faith. For faith is the belief in things unseen. C.S. Lewis states it this way, “For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity.” We only have today or, more specifically, this hard and difficult moment to honor the Lord in what we do.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Being cheerful definitely means a feeling of happiness or optimism but it can also refer to the way we cause OTHERS to feel when they are around us.  One can be cheerful to others and not feel that emotion, themselves. I know people like this. People who would console you while on their own death bed, people who speak life and hope in every situation. Moses puts forth adherence to God’s law as the choice between blessings and curses, death or life. Truly, in the heart of our attitudes it is so. (Deuteronomy 30:19, Proverbs 18:21)

So check your attitude. On hard days when you are tempted to unload on the unexpecting stranger unlucky enough to ask, “How are you doing?”; remember God’s goodness to you. He will help you to answer graciously.  Listen to the Holy Spirit’s prompting on what to share and how, and know that there is a peace and confidence that comes from the Lord and satisfies more than any “unloading” ever could. Choose in that moment to give your burden to God, instead of another. Embody what it means to be cheerful by blessing that person with an uplifting or pleasant answer. If being positive simple feels disingenuous try answering them with, “I’m doing my cheerful best,” and know that you really are, and that God is in it.

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