Attitude Adjustment

What is your attitude about what you do not like? Perhaps we are in a season where God is trying to transform the way we respond to what we do not like. Maybe God is inviting us to gain a new perspective on what is possible when our attitude about what we do not like changes. This change of attitude is not about forcing oneself to like something but surrendering oneself to a bigger purpose. Let me suggest living your life on the basis of being a part of God’s great work in our midst. I was speaking with my son Mitch yesterday and he was telling me about a Bible study he led. It concerned Cain and the aftermath of Cain killing his brother Able. There is much not to like about Cain. He was open to condemnation and attacks which could have been a reason for dislike leading to unending war and division. We have seen much less divide people. But God was at work. Listen to Genesis 4:25b-26, as it talks about Eve, “… she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, ‘God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.’ Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” As Mitch rightly pointed out to me, the key to the passage is how it ends, “…At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” Is it worth it to you to change your attitude about what you don’t like so that you might be part of God bringing people to call upon the name of the Lord again? Eve could have spent the rest of her life bitter. But she chose to be an agent of change rather than an agent of division. This kind of change is not easy. Few things are harder. But even those who are convinced that the most important thing is vengeance or retribution must know that this only feeds an unending cycle of division. Some may opt for this path but for people of faith in God, our purpose must be bigger - God and what He calls us to. Jesus said, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:17) This sets a pattern for us to follow. This is how we raise the bar on our discipleship.