Is Attitude Everything

This below was written by a kindred spirit (Kevin Bussey) on his Blog, Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee. Being a Christian and living the Christian life is not keeping a bunch of do gooder rules, merely going to church, learning to pray, giving a little money, getting into the bible, having a happy two parent family in a big house and giving to the United Way or to even trying to make this world a better place. That is not the message of the Cross: That's moralism! The message of Christianity is that the eternal God of the universe, came to this planet, and He is just and He is holy. What His holiness demands, Jesus provided at the cross, so you can be in a right relationship with God.

Read the following, it will be well worth your time.

In Christ
Andrew

=============================================================================



Is Attitude everything?
Published by Kevin Bussey at 12:31 am under attitude

I saw a sign the other day that said “ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.” Really? I used to buy into that. Years ago I read every John Maxwell positive thinking book. I subscribed to his cassette teaching tapes and went to every conference he had. I filled my head with positive thinking books, tapes and conferences. I read the Prayer of Jabez and prayed that prayer daily for years. I was on my way to be Joel Osteen!

I believed that God was going to do great things in my life just because I had positive thoughts. Yet positive thoughts don’t pay the bills. Positive Thoughts don’t explain all of the pain people endure. Romans 8:28 says in all things give thanks. It doesn’t say to be thankful for all things but to give thanks. Not everything is positive. So attitude doesn’t get us through life, Jesus does. I was convinced that starting a church would be awesome. We raised money and recruited a team to help us. We had a great attitude. Then we scheduled our launch date of September 16, 2001. You can have the best attitude in the world but starting a church the week of the tragedy of 9/11 is tough.

I accepted a position last year that allowed us to move back to Alabama. I expected God to sell our home and take care of our needs. I knew this would happen. My attitude was right. Now over a year later the house hasn’t sold.

I have several friends who have had loved ones or they themselves got cancer. I’m sure they had great attitudes and were convinced that God would heal them but attitude isn’t everything. We know several Godly people at our church near the Gulf Coast that died of cancer recently. I can’t understand why God didn’t answer all of our prayers. We believed yet they died. I’ve prayed for people who have lost jobs and they had great attitudes. Yet their attitudes didn’t save their homes. I’m sure their are people in Third World Countries have prayed and had great attitudes that God would provide for their needs. Yet so many go hungry. Why didn’t attitude work for them? I have two friends that were leading churches in transition and they had death threats from people in their church! Their attitude was to serve God and the people at their church and it led to pain. One of them is still at his church. Attitude just brought their families pain. I even had a group at one church that sent letters to members and had a meeting to have me removed. I had the attitude that God was going to transition this church but the attitude I brought only brought pain to those who didn’t want change and to my family. I have a friend who has been in jail for over a year for something he didn’t do. He tried to keep a great attitude and yet it hasn’t gotten him out of jail. He asked me to help him through the anger of not knowing why God hasn’t answered his prayers. What do you I say? I’m tired of giving the trite “Believe” and “Attitude” will save you.

Here is what I’ve come to learn. Attitude is great but it isn’t everything. I wanted to play football at the University of Alabama but Coach Paul Bear Bryant didn’t need a slow, white cornerback. I dreamed about it and thought I could but reality is I wasn’t talented enough. I don’t know very many people who get married with the attitude it will fail. But we can’t control another person’s actions. We can’t control how they feel. If attitude is everything then why do so many marriages fail? I’m grateful my wife has stuck with me through a lot of tough times.

I’ve become more Calvinistic as I experience life. I believe we should have great attitudes because God commands us to love each other. But God isn’t a magic Genie. Saying the Prayer of Jabez, rubbing a Holy Hankie, or chanting believe and receive, or sowing a seed, or any of the other garbage that is being taught isn’t Biblical in my opinion. Just because Jabez prayed a prayer doesn’t mean God is going to bless us when we pray it. There are no magic words or attitudes that get us closer to God. Remember Job who lost everything. Did attitude save his family and his wealth? What about Joseph who was accused of doing something he didn’t do and spent years in prison. Did having the right attitude get him out of jail? Jesus paid the worst price of anyone. His attitude was perfect and yet He had to die for all of our sins.

I have come to believe this. God can and will chose to do whatever He wants. I don’t have to like it. I can whine and complain (which is a sin) or I can adjust my life and my attitude to His. I’ve not been promised anything except eternal life by trusting in Him. I’m not promised a nice home. How arrogant it is for Americans to think this. We have 2000, 3000, 4000+ sq ft homes and complain yet people around the world have nothing. We aren’t promised good health. Tell that to all of the Godly people who die way too young. We aren’t promised anything. I get sick of hearing about fairness. If I got what I deserved it would be death. I can’t believe how selfish our prayers can be. I’m pretty blessed. I was brought up in America with two loving parents who led me to Jesus at an early age. I have 2 believing siblings. I have a wife of over 21 years who loves me unconditionally and two believing children.

Attitude may help someone become successful but I don’t believe it is everything. If that were the case then why are cheaters successful? If attitude is everything then why doesn’t Bama win the National Championship every year? If attitude is everything then why can’t I make a living writing books and speaking? Reality doesn’t always factor in our attitude. The attitude my Bible says we are to have is that of Jesus who humbled Himself. That attitude is everything.