An Attitude of Christ
Thursday, June 6, 2024
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Phil. 2:5, NIV.
As a police chaplain I encounter a lot of people who have attitude problems. Criminals with a bad attitude are dangerous. Police officers with a bad attitude can cause a lot of trouble for themselves and for others.
The word "attitude" is defined, in part, as a frame of mind, or a condition of mind. Our frame of mind determines how we let the things of life affect us. Negatively this can lead to ill health either emotionally and/or physically. But we can, to a large degree, control our attitude and in turn determine our health.
In Counsels on Health Ellen White wrote: "That which brings sickness of body and mind to nearly all is dissatisfied feelings and discontented repinings" (pp. 631, 632). What Ellen White is talking about is an attitude problem that needs to be dealt with.
Attitude has an incredible impact on life. It's more important than facts, the past, education, money, circumstances, failures, successes, appearance, giftedness, skill, what other people think, or what they say or do. Chuck Swindoll once made the comment that attitude will make or break a company, a church, or a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past or the fact that people will act in a certain way. Nor can we change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you—we are in charge of our attitude.
The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8, 9 that we should fill our minds with things that are true, honest, and just. He said to think on things that are noble, pure, and lovely. We are to dwell on the good things and follow right principles. When we do this, Paul says, "the God of peace will be with [us]" (NIV). This makes for good emotional, physical, and spiritual health.
What rough edges of your attitude do you need to polish to have an attitude like that of Christ Jesus?
As a police chaplain I encounter a lot of people who have attitude problems. Criminals with a bad attitude are dangerous. Police officers with a bad attitude can cause a lot of trouble for themselves and for others.
The word "attitude" is defined, in part, as a frame of mind, or a condition of mind. Our frame of mind determines how we let the things of life affect us. Negatively this can lead to ill health either emotionally and/or physically. But we can, to a large degree, control our attitude and in turn determine our health.
In Counsels on Health Ellen White wrote: "That which brings sickness of body and mind to nearly all is dissatisfied feelings and discontented repinings" (pp. 631, 632). What Ellen White is talking about is an attitude problem that needs to be dealt with.
Attitude has an incredible impact on life. It's more important than facts, the past, education, money, circumstances, failures, successes, appearance, giftedness, skill, what other people think, or what they say or do. Chuck Swindoll once made the comment that attitude will make or break a company, a church, or a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past or the fact that people will act in a certain way. Nor can we change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you—we are in charge of our attitude.
The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8, 9 that we should fill our minds with things that are true, honest, and just. He said to think on things that are noble, pure, and lovely. We are to dwell on the good things and follow right principles. When we do this, Paul says, "the God of peace will be with [us]" (NIV). This makes for good emotional, physical, and spiritual health.
What rough edges of your attitude do you need to polish to have an attitude like that of Christ Jesus?
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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