My Cheerful Best

(Part 1)

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 (Gen 3:6). Still yet, our thoughts and beliefs are continually effected, 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? 

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 (Phil. 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, Gal. 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).

(Stay tuned for Part 2 on Thursday.)

Picture and post by Melanie Barnfield. Melanie Barnfield  has been married 16  years to the love of her life, Elijah, and has been blessed with 5 beautiful children. Residing in Southern IL, she is an avid reader who enjoys teaching, gardening, art, and photography. Her creative endeavors can be viewed at MelBelle Musings  or at her Etsy shop by the same name.

You can find more of Melanie's posts on the PriorityNow Blog here.