Happy Friday! I hope you all had a great week and made progress on your personal spiritual goals. My personal goal this week centered around improving my attitude especially in difficult situations. Attitude improvement especially in the workplace both internally and externally is one of my big spiritual goals for the entire year. At times, I lean toward more negative attitudes like discouragement, frustration, cynicism, annoyance, etc – especially when frustrations happen at work. I decided this year (since I work in an academic profession) I was going to really try to break that habit. I wanted to regardless of the situation try to be more positive (at least emotional stop the slide at neutrality before it completely tanks). I prayed about it all week as I prepared to start back at meetings for work. So, I can reflect back and say that sometimes I met my goal but other instances – even if it was internally – I missed the mark. It is a work in progress. Each day I reminded myself to put yesterday away and start with a new attitude of positivity, joy, and hope.
The scriptures are full of proverbs and commands on having a positive gratitude attitude. We should have an attitude that reflects God living in us so when I project negativity, frustration, annoyance – I’m not really projecting God. Proverbs 17: 22 says “a cheerful heart does good like medicine but a broken spirit dies the bones.” Solomon tells us that a good attitude is like medicine to the soul but if you allow a broken spirt to take over it will dry you out. It will suck the life out of you.
Paul tells us… tells me in Philippians 2: 14 to “do all things without grumbling or complaining.” Ouch. I worked hard at that this week but I know I still missed the mark dreadfully there. Paul tells us to not complain all the time because when we are positive and we don’t grumble we shine like stars in the sky of this dark world. Life isn’t easy and often things don’t go our way or the way we want or think they should go. It is easy to complain but when we do that – we don’t provide a contrast to the world. We fade in the darkness of the sky. Instead, we should shine brightly as stars and be positive in all situations. Paul tells the Thessalonians to rejoice always. So instead of complaining and grumbling I should be rejoicing…always. Paul learned to be content in all situations – WHILE HE WAS IN PRISON. So, I think I should be able to get through a tedious or frustrating day at work if Paul can get through prison with the right attitude.
How do you rejoice always and avoid grumbling and complaining?
Instead of focusing on negative emotions or events throughout the day, I should instead steer my heart back to gratitude and thankfulness. When I find myself inching closer to the negativity, I should take a breath and think of the blessings God has given me both spiritual and physical. The scriptures are full of verses commanding us to be thankful. The Book of Psalms is alone replete of songs of thanksgiving. The New Testament repeatedly reminds us to be thankful for all that God has done for us. Colossians 3: 15 “…be thankful.” Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful…” I Thessalonians 5:18, “give thanks in all circumstances.” I Corinthians 9: 15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” When I take a moment to step away from whatever is upsetting me and think of all the various ways God has blessed me I find there is really nothing to be negative about because God’s blessings always outweigh everything else.
Another way to improve my attitude throughout the day is to make sure my actions are all rooted in love. 1 Corinthians 13 teaches us love should underpin our attitude in all situations. Here is how love helps me to improve my attitude toward others and in tough situations:
- Suffers long
- Kindness
- Does not envy
- Does not parade itself or boast
- Is not provoked
- Thinks no evil
- Does not find gladness in iniquities
- Rejoices in the Truth
- Bears all things
- Believes all things
- Hopes all things
- Loves all things
So you can look at the list Paul provides us and see that in most situations – if I allow love to be the foundational of my responses to situations in life (either my personal or professional) that I should be able to project a godlike attitude regardless of how frustrated I am. I don’t brag about my accomplishes. I don’t rejoice when something bad happens to one of my “enemies.” I don’t envy other’s successes. If I can love God and project that love to my neighbors, I will be able to bear all things with a more positive uplifting attitude.
My attitude throughout the day should also reflect the fruits of the Spirit that Paul outlines for us in Galatians. Now, in order to really understand what the fruits of the Spirit, Paul lists off a variety of actions and attitudes that are not godly in Galatians 5: 19 – 21. Contentions, jealousies, wrath, selfish ambition, dissensions, and envy all make the list. Instead, a Godlike attitude features qualities like: love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self – control (Galatians 5: 22 -23). My attitude should always try to reflect these positive traits. I should be kind and patience with those that tests my limits at work. I should be gentle instead of wrathful in situations I find frustrating or annoying. I should love my coworkers even when I am at the end of my emotional rope.
Ultimately, we should project at attitude that is worthy of the name we bear – Christian. “What happens, let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1: 27). Whatever happens.
Love God and Love Others,
AA.
Adonai's Appeal 