Charles Swindoll on Attitude
“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 the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, 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.
“…we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one thing we have, that is our attitude.
“…I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. …we are in charge of our attitudes.”
As believers, our attitude must be based on faith in God’s character and plan. “My soul finds rest in God alone. My salvation comes from Him. He only is my rock, my salvation and my high tower” (Psalm 62:1-2).
If we want examples of this, the Bible is full of them: Cain (negative) and Able (positive), Joseph and his brothers, David and Saul, Peter and Judas Iscariot. One of the most powerful examples, one we can latch onto and live, is Habakkuk, where, when facing invasion by a powerful and cruel enemy, he trusts God and writes:
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior Habakkuk” 3:17-18).
Jesus also demonstrates the power of a faith attitude in “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” And the Spirit then calls us to have the same attitude: “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3).
So let’s cultivate an attitude of faith, nourished by personal worship, meditation on the Word, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving and obedience in small things. Then when the big challenges come, we can face them with an attitude of trust and praise, because knowing Jesus is enough for joy, period.
