April 10, 2019

Right Or Wrong?

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. – Romans 8:6

The rant was unexpected and hard. No. It wasn’t directed at me but I was shocked just the same. She had fixed her mind on one thing and all the other things had somehow become attached to it.

That one thing was a “very nice man” who needed to lose his job. Why? Because he didn’t do enough work to justify a full-time position. I spoke truth gently. She didn’t want to hear it but I said the words anyway. The man did many things of which she was unaware. He is a servant. But it also is a pointless thing. His job is secure and she is wasting time and energy being angry about it.

She has convinced herself everything in one church service will be better if this man goes away. The committee that oversees the service has apparently devoted countless hours to discussing this. I now understand why the service is stagnant. The people who lead it are too busy pointing fingers to accomplish anything.

We all do this. We focus our minds on what’s wrong. We decide that something or someone else is to blame. We don’t do anything different. We don’t see ourselves as needing to change. We aren’t the problem we tell ourselves. We also aren’t the solution.

When the mind is focused on the flesh we allow evil to take control. We focus on ourselves, ignoring gratitude and rightness, and head straight down a path headed away from God. Every time. Where are you headed?

October 6, 2018

Check Your Attitude

Do everything without grumbling or arguing. – Philippians 2:14

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. – Colossians 3:23

It was her attitude that finally did her in. Her mistakes could be excused but not her mouthy arrogance. The saddest part? She can’t see how she destroyed her own chances for a really good job.

One day she talked about God. I want to believe there’s a part of her that really wants to know Jesus. I want to believe she’s searching. I hope so. I really do. Because Jesus is the only one who can open her eyes and help her make the changes she needs to make.

It’s the same for all of us. It’s only when life becomes about Him that our priorities shift. It’s only when we put stuff in its proper place, when we fill ourselves with gratitude, that we can truly begin to understand how wonderful He is.

She needs to know that Jesus loves her no matter what. She needs to cling to Him. Instead, she’s throwing out obscenities and talking tough. She’s struggling and pointing her finger at everyone but herself.

I don’t know what has happened in her past. I don’t know how the chip on her shoulder got to be so heavy. I don’t know why she feels the need to lash out toward those who are kind to her, those trying to help her, those who only want to be her friend.

There’s no gratitude in her heart. Only a sense of entitlement for something she hasn’t earned. She spends her days taking breaks and focused on her cell phone, oblivious to the fact she’s getting paid to do a job she isn’t doing. Others pick up the slack. She considers it all justified. It’s that attitude again.

I wish I could say it’s because she’s so young. We see it sometimes with kids. They haven’t yet learned that the world doesn’t owe them anything. That includes a position at the top of the ladder, complete with a six-figure salary and lots of prestige and perks.

No. She’s old enough to know that you’ve got to work your way up. Smooth-talking without substance will only get you so far. And attitude will send you packing faster than anything.

It would be easy to say it’s because she doesn’t know Jesus. The hard truth is many Christians are just like her. They go to work with lousy attitudes, determined before the first hour to have a bad day. They gossip and complain about everything, from the temperature to the workload. They don’t see a problem with that.

How do you think God would respond to that attitude? I guess we could ask the Israelites who wandered in the desert for 40 years. God got tired of their complaints. I suspect He’s tired of ours too.

Each day we have a choice. We can live in gratitude for every blessing. And, yes, you are blessed each and every day. Or we can spend our time complaining and blaming others for our misery.

Seek to find the good in each day. Work hard, working as though you are working for Jesus. Your circumstances might not change but your life surely will.

October 3, 2018

Show Mercy and Grace

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – Hebrews 4:16

He mocks those who mock, but gives grace to the humble.

– Proverbs 3:34 (HCSB)

She isn’t well liked. She’s the first to point a finger at anyone who makes a mistake. And she’s the first to respond with denial if she’s the one who made the mistake.

She’s quick to judge but not so quick to show mercy. No one ever meets her standards. All of her coworkers have been on the receiving end of her nasty comments.

She’s not a boss. She’s not even a supervisor. She’s a co-worker with less experience than everyone else in her department. Her attitude sends a different message. She thinks of herself as superior to everyone else.

The saddest thing isn’t her attitude. The saddest thing is that her attitude simply covers up a deep insecurity. She feels like people look down on her. She talks about discrimination. She’s determined to “prove” she’s better than they are. All she proves is that she’s got a mega chip on her shoulder that has cost her job after job. She doesn’t understand grace or mercy or compassion.

As Christians, we think of grace as a gift from God. We can’t earn it through works or money. He gives it to us when we believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

What if we offered grace to others? What if we showed compassion, not because they deserved it or had earned it, but because of Jesus? What would happen to their hearts? What would happen to our hearts?

Where does mercy fit in? What is it? Because mercy and grace aren’t exactly the same thing. I think now to the movie War Room. One of the main characters had done something illegal. He’d confessed and made retribution. The company owner had a choice: forgive or call the police. He chose to forgive. Would you have made that same choice? Would your hard heart have softened when you encountered genuine repentance?

How often do we have the option of offering mercy or condemnation? Do we fail to forgive an offense, choosing instead to “punish” the offender? Or, after a sincere apology and changed behavior, do we grant mercy and forgiveness?

This young woman thinks she’s being smart and tough and strong by lashing out at others. She’s actually being weak. She doesn’t understand the concept of being part of a team. She’s doesn’t understand grace and mercy. And it shows in the vicious words she throws out.

She wants to get ahead in the workforce but she won’t. Who wants an employee who’s so divisive? Who wants to promote someone who won’t take responsibility for mistakes? Does it sound like anyone you know?

The next time someone you know makes a mistake, offer grace. Be merciful. I know. It’s not always easy. Do it anyway. Grace and mercy have a way of coming back to you in ways you never expect.

August 31, 2018

Words Reveal the Heart

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

– Luke 6:45

On the surface, she is a good person. She is a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She volunteers at church. She works hard at her job. She is a go-getter who gets things done.

Then there is the rest of the story. She is an arrogant bully who uses whatever means necessary – gossip, lies, political backstabbing – to get her own way. Even at church, where such things should never be in the equation, she is known as a bully. Ouch.

Do you know someone like her? Are you that person? Do you display an attitude if people don’t agree with your suggestions? Do you get angry and talk bitterly behind someone’s back when they choose something different? Are you a win-at-all-costs kind of person?

It’s as though we’ve developed a disconnect between living as Jesus and living to get what we want. In Jesus’ name, of course. We believe that it doesn’t matter how we reach our end goal. We justify our behavior as being okay because it’s for a worthy cause. It’s not okay.

I recently watched this woman turn to ice and struggle to even speak because she was so angry. The reason? Someone else decided to place a combination lock on a cabinet rather than the key lock she chose. What difference did it make? More people would have access to supplies without having to track down a key. It made sense. But it wasn’t her idea and she was furious.

When we find ourselves getting overly upset about small things, maybe it’s time to do a heart check. When we become furious because someone doesn’t do things exactly the way we think they should be done, maybe it’s time to rethink our motives. Pride comes immediately to mind. So do control issues.

Who’s in charge of your life? Who’s in charge of your heart? If the answer is anyone other than Jesus, then you’ve got a problem that impacts everyone around you. As Christians, we’re called to live for Jesus. Our words and our behavior should reflect that.

The hard truth is that we’re not always going to get our own way. And that’s okay. The hard truth is that not every idea we have is going to be well received by others. And that’s okay. The hard truth is that not everyone is always going to like how we do things. And that’s okay.

Life has taught me to let go of the small things that don’t really matter in the end. I’ve learned to let things roll off my shoulders when they don’t make a difference to Jesus. Consequently, I’ve grown stronger in standing up for things that really do matter. I’ve become someone who won’t back down when it comes to Biblical truths and decency.

We’re on the same team, you and I. We’re Christians trying to live as Jesus’ light in a dark and trying world. It’s when we lose sight of that, when we try to make it about us, that we end up spewing out anger and bitterness that have no place in God’s Kingdom.

So, the next time you get ready to have an attitude with someone else, look in the mirror first. You might find that the real problem lies in your heart.

May 23, 2018

Let Thanksgiving Fill You Up

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. – 1 Timothy 4:4-5

The Facebook post was almost comical. Rain was ruining her family vacation and she wanted everyone to pray that it would stop. Yes, indeed, I thought. Let our parched land refrain from receiving rain so that she won’t have to deal with rain on her parade. (cliché intended)

I get it. I do. We welcome necessary rain until it interferes with our plans. Then we just want it to go away. Our plans are more important than the needs of anyone else. No. We don’t see it that way as we gaze out from our self-centered view but it’s what our hearts are crying out.

I’ll also admit my own selfishness in this. The pastures were dying because of the heat and lack of rain. The cows need grass. I am grateful for the rain because it makes the grass grow.

I also look around at the fields. Rain is necessary to make the crops grow. We live in a farming region. People depend on the right amount of rain to earn their living. It’s not about fun. It’s about income.

How we view situations has so much to do with attitude. The first winter I put out hay I kept telling myself I would be so glad when spring came. No more large hay rings to move. No more 50-pound grain sacks to unload.

Then came spring. I can now joke that I won’t get caught up on the bush hogging until winter comes. There’s always something to do on a farm. The work never ends. And that’s okay. Because I am blessed to be able to work, to tend cows, to drive a tractor.

It’s all about perspective. We spend so much of our lives complaining about today that we often miss the blessings God has given to us. We sound like the Israelites in the desert, don’t we? No matter how much God does for us, we complain about what God hasn’t done. I can’t even imagine how exasperated He gets.

Gratitude changes your attitude. Thankfulness focuses on blessings. Have you ever made a gratitude list? You really should. It clears everything up rather quickly. It focuses our minds back to the blessings and away from a tomorrow we can neither predict nor control.

My sweet friend, who truly is a Godly woman, soon changed her complaint to thanksgiving. The rain remained but she decided to adjust her attitude and have fun anyway. What a blessing! She is surrounded by family in a wonderful place. That’s what is important.

Yesterday a large limb came down, blocking the driveway. I am thankful for saws, and the ability to use those saws, so that I could handle the situation on my own. And I thankful that had I needed help, I could have placed a phone call and gotten help right away. Friendships abound and I am so very grateful for the people God has placed in my life.

I am grateful for the nosy cows who came to check out the hysterical dogs and the racoon that was having a really bad day. I love watching the geese and wild ducks and all the birds that come our way. They remind me of my parents, and that brings both a smile and a tear.

Life goes on until, one day, it doesn’t. How are you going to live it? Are you going to fill your days with thanksgiving, welcoming the challenges and blessings as equal gifts from God? Or are you going to grumble all the way home? The choice belongs to you.

April 25, 2016

What’s Your Attitude?

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

 -- Psalm 100:1-2

Attitude was the topic of yesterday’s sermon. Pastor Danny used Psalm 100 to point out that we should have an attitude of joyfulness as we go through the moments of each day.

Later as we were starting Sunday School Class, we heard joyful music coming down the hall. One of the praise band members was leading the way, playing his guitar, and children of various ages, along with a few adult volunteers, were following behind singing loudly.

Someone jumped up and opened the door and our class joined the singers by clapping to the beat. The line wound around and doubled back. One young boy, who was a little bit taller than some of the other children, was near the back of the line. His arms were tightly cross over his chest and a scowl darkened his face. He was not singing and he was not happy.

We closed the door as the children headed to a different area, then looked at each other, and started laughing hysterically. Those of us who had been in the earlier service explained that the sermon was on attitude. That brought a new round of laughter and it took us a while to get focused on the lesson.

It sure brought home the point of the sermon way better than words ever could. I wonder how many of us go through life with a scowl on our face? We’ve decided life isn’t good, or the day is awful, or whatever that will bring us down and -- surprising -- we have a bad day.

Attitude does determine so much of how our life turns out. It’s that age-old cliché “Is the glass half-full or half-empty?” It’s a choice. We can see a life of possibilities or a life of defeat.

A friend recently noted that his mother is in town for an extended stay. He splurged and subscribed to the baseball channel so she could watch her team. Did she appreciate it? Nope. Her team was losing and she was unhappy. So much for thankfulness.

We’re all like that sometimes. We’re so busy wallowing in what’s wrong that we miss what’s right. We forget to be thankful. We forget to be joyful. We forget to delight in the Lord.

What’s your attitude? You might surprise yourself.

April 4, 2016

Choose Gratitude

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. -- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Ware you thankful for today? I asked someone that yesterday. The woman was complaining and complaining. I was trying to refocus her mind.

Her answer? “I guess that I’m alive today.” She couldn’t come up with anything else. How sad!

I’ll ask you the same question: What are you thankful for today? Get specific. Did you have food to eat? Great! What was the best thing? Was it Pecan Pie or Loaded Baked Potato Soup or fresh green beans and potatoes? Maybe it was ice cream or potato chips. Whatever it was, give God thanks for it.

There are so many things in our daily lives that we simply take for granted. Our health, for example. Or the ability to see a doctor when we need to. Some people don’t have either and ours could go away in moment. Why do we have to wait until it’s gone until we appreciate what we had?

Do you have a safe place to live? Count your blessings. Many hard working people struggle to have a roof over their heads, food on the table, health care, clothing and toys for their kids. The basics. And, yes, for all you that like to point fingers, most of them work one or two jobs seven days a week.

I’m thankful for a vehicle to drive. I’m thankful for satellite television. I’ve thankful for multiple Bibles. I’m thankful for books to read. I’m thankful for the sun that was so beautiful and bright today. And, yes, I’m thankful for my family and friends. I’m grateful for these two dogs that slumber nearby. I am amazed forever that God loves me and claims me as His own.

There are so many things to be thankful for each and every day. So why do we -- and we all do this sometimes -- focus on the negative? Why do we choose to see what we don’t have instead of what we do have?

We think we can someone fill ourselves up with something that will make us happy. Or maybe we’ve been unhappy for so long that we don’t know how to be anything else. Attitude is contagious. That’s how the saying goes. What does your attitude say about you? Are you negative and ungrateful? Or do you thank God for every good thing He does for you?

Choose to be grateful. You’ll be amazed at good it makes you feel.

February 5, 2016

See What’s Good

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. -- Philippians 4:8

What did you think about today? Were you stressed about work? Did you have a fight with your spouse? Did your child get in trouble at school? Were you overwhelmed by all the daily chores, like laundry and dishes and homework?

There are tons of things that fill up a day and push aside the good things that also are all around us. I could make you feel guilty right now. I could really turn it on and remind you of all those childless folks who long for children and would give anything to referee a sibling fight or help with homework. I could remind you of the people who are fighting cancer and would love to have the energy to do laundry and dishes. But I won’t.

It’s easy to focus on all the issues that cloud our day and make us long for a vacation or, at least, Friday. That means we spend much of our time longing for something else. That feeds on itself and pretty soon we’re consumed with all that’s wrong with our life instead of what’s right with it.

Stop for a minute and ask yourself what’s right with your life. Do you have good health? What about your family? Do you have a home? Do you have plenty of food to eat? Do you have a nice television? What about a computer?

But let’s not stop there. When was the last time you noticed the sky? The views can be breathtaking. What about flowers and birds? Did you enjoy the snow or the rain or the sun today? Did you make a few green lights on your drive home from work? I could keep going but I think you get the point.

There’s always something to be thankful for if we just open our eyes to see. It’s funny how that works too. The more we look around and focus on the good in our lives, the more good we see. And pretty soon we’re doing what Paul told us to do.

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. -- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Be thankful today. It’ll change your attitude and your life.

Monday, July 2, 2012

How’s Your Attitude?

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. -- John 13:3-5

How’s your attitude today? It is Monday after all. Not too many people are excited to get up and head back to work. Of course, some lucky people are on vacation. Others are just trying to survive the heat without power and still others are praying that their homes survive the fires.

All in all, our attitudes determine so much of how our day goes. And our days determine how ours lives go. There are a great many things we can’t control but we can control our attitudes.

It’s hard not to feel put upon sometimes. Everybody seems to want something and nobody seems to appreciate anything. We’re doing things we don’t want to do and everybody seems to want money. We find ourselves skating through life, facing much of it with a bad attitude while we wait for time to do the things we want to do.

What would happen if we did everything as though we were doing it for God? How would our lives change if we changed our attitude about how we live our lives?

Pastor Danny preached on a familiar passage of Scripture yesterday. We’ve all read again and again about how Jesus washed the disciples feet. But have we ever paid attention to the details? Have we ever really thought about kneeling down and washing dirty, stinky feet and then drying them with care?

Yes, Jesus taught us about serving others. John reminds us that Jesus knew “the Father had put all things under his power” before he tells us that Jesus washed the disciples feet. Jesus, the Messiah, performed a task associated with a lowly servant. There was no arrogance. No attitude. No put upon scowl of a person doing what he has to do.

Jesus served with grace and kindness and compassion. He washed their feet and then took time to dry them. His actions spoke so much louder than words ever could.

How often do we perform unpleasant tasks with a good attitude? How often do we pay attention to detail and do a task we’d rather not do to the very best of our ability? Paying attention to the details of Jesus’ actions really puts a different perspective on how we face tasks.

So let me ask you again: How’s your attitude?

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Changed Attitudes Needed

Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. -- Matthew 16:12

Several news stories this week have previewed the Southern Baptist Convention (sorry, the name change doesn’t change anything). Baptisms and membership are declining. The leaders are struggling with it.

I know many members of SBC churches who would lament about our nation’s declining morals. It’s always the fault of others. They would insist that they’re standing firm and refusing to compromise and that’s why so many are turning away.

Too bad they can’t look in the mirror and see themselves as others see them. Because when folks think of a Southern Baptist church they don’t see grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. They see people who condemn anyone who is different and look down on everyone who is not part of their clique.

Now I do realize that there are many wonderful people who happen to be Southern Baptists. And there are few, if any, who do disaster relief better than Southern Baptists. But as a whole, the group is so caught up in their rules that they forget about everything else. They remind me of Pharisees, who couldn’t see the true message because they were too focused on the rules and sins of others.

Okay. Confession time. I once belonged to a Southern Baptist church filled with many fine people. In fact, I was baptized in a Southern Baptist church while I was in college. I’ve seen the good. I’ve experienced the good. And, in some ways, it still feels like home.

But in other fundamental ways, it doesn’t fit at all. I don’t buy into that “interpretation” that women are second-class citizens, relegated to organize and do much of the work while men sit around and make all the decisions. I also don’t believe that people need to be changed before they entered the doors of a church.

Oh, I know. They’d deny that last part. But I’ve witnessed the snubbed noses of too many members looking down on those that don’t “fit.” I’ve listened to preachers lecture from the pulpit on “proper dress” in a church. I’ve watched them drive away good people seeking God, needing Jesus, and yet being looked down on by people who think they are better than everyone else.

I know not all stereotypes fit all people but I also have witnessed too much not to understand why people are leaving Southern Baptists churches. Jesus didn’t look down on anyone. He didn’t snub others. And He didn’t think some were better than others. In fact, Jesus preached that the least would be first and the first would be least.

If SBC wants to increase its attendance, it will take far more than a name change and the election of a black leader. It will take an attitude change, starting in the hearts of its members.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Lose The Attitude

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. -- Colossians 3:23

The other day I stopped at what I thought was a fast food restaurant. It was supposed to be. I’ve stopped there before and it always has been. But on this particular day things were not going so well for the employees.

The employees who were there anyway. Apparently they were short staffed and that had caused all kinds of problems. At least when it came to attitude. I stood and watched one woman assemble the burgers. She was incredibly slow. I could see the chip on her shoulder even before she mouthed off to another employee.

The woman in charge was determined to remain in charge. That meant, in her mind at least, that she was staying out of the kitchen. Eventually, she relented. Customer displeasure was growing by the minute and helping in the kitchen was the safer choice.

It would have been comical to watch but it was just so sad. One woman had a chip on her shoulder because she wanted help and it wasn’t there. Another woman didn’t want to lower herself to do what needed to be done. Two other employees struggled to stay out of the line of fire. And customers had the opportunity to observe something really awful.

It makes me wonder how many times you and I have done the same thing? How many times have we had an attitude about something we couldn’t control, something that probably wasn’t fair, and we used it as an excuse to not do our best?

Not you? Think about it. There are few, if any, folks who have never been in a snit because they thought something at work just wasn’t right or fair. And because we are human, it’s pretty difficult to let it go and let God take care of it. It’s hard to shove aside our displeasure and continue to do our very best, no matter the circumstances.

Maybe what we all need is an attitude adjustment. And a refocus on who we’re here to serve. Because when we do our very best, we’re doing it for God. And when we don’t? Well, that’s a reflection on God as well. Do we really want nonbelievers do see Christians as slackers or folks who have a bad attitude?

Sometimes circumstances are infuriating. We are faced with situations that are unfair and we want to strike out, in attitude if nothing else. Take a deep breath instead, and give it to God. Prayer is a wonderful healing balm and God is an amazing defender and fixer of all things bad.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Just Give God A Call

“Ask me and I will tell you some remarkable secrets about what is going to happen here.”
-- Jeremiah 33:3

A dear friend posted this message on facebook: God’s phone number is Jeremiah 33:3. I wonder how many of us had to look up that Scripture right then? It was such a wonderful reminder that the answers we seek are easily available if we will only take time to listen.

We live in an instant world. No surprises there. But we also live in a selfish world, where we tend to put our own needs or the needs of those we care about before everything and everyone else. Sometimes that is natural and good. Sometimes it is selfish and cruel.

We want what we want when we want it. God doesn’t work that way. So we grow frustrated when He doesn’t instantly give us what we want. Sort of like spoiled children. We have a little fit and launch our very own pity party.

One woman is frustrated that her illness won’t just go away. She expects a miracle cure or, at least, a little pill that makes it seem like her illness doesn’t exist. Unfortunately, she does have an illness and the medicine that takes care of that comes with side effects. And she’s really unhappy.

Especially with God. Oh, her family and doctors get their negative comments too. But she can’t understand why God won’t cure her when she has asked him to. So she’s given up. There’s just no point in trying if she can’t get exactly what she wants.

Contrast that with another woman who lives with tremendous pain each and every day. There’s nothing the doctors can do but try and ease her discomfort. She refuses to sit down and feel sorry for herself. She pushes ahead, caring for friends and family. She volunteers at a camp for abused children. She’s involved in her community. She’s happy and filled with laughter. She refuses to let her pain control her life.

And she praises God for her life. She’s faithful in all she does to give Him glory. She does all she can to live as He has called her to live.

The differences between the two women are startling even as they are similar. Their attitudes set them apart. One woman is grounded in her deep faith and trust in her Lord and Savior. The other women relies on shallow faith that shifts like the wind and is dependent on whether or not she gets her own way.

I have no idea what the future holds. None of us do. But we do have a God who loves and cares for us. We have a Heavenly Father who is right there, willing to talk with us and tell us all we want to know. But we have to be willing to listen and to understand that sometimes His answer is no.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

How’s Your Attitude Today?

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. -- Ephesians 4:22-24

How’s your attitude today? Are you feeling blessed? Joyful? Content in your circumstances? Trusting God with your challenges? Or have you already given up before the day has really begun?

It’s easy to make excuses, to tell me that I really don’t know your circumstances or the challenges you face each day. And I don’t. Nor do you know mine. We all have times in our lives when we feel beaten down and times when we feel like we’re on top of the mountain. What’s important to remember is this: The God who is with us on that mountain top is the same God who carries us through the valley.

A young woman related her mother’s story the other day. Her mother was out of work for almost two years. She lost everything and she and her children had to move in with her elderly mother. She eventually found another job and slowly rebuilt her life.

The woman could have sunk into bitterness. Her children could have felt insecure and upset about the unfairness of it all. But they don’t. As her daughter said, they were blessed to have some place to go. It was hard; a difficult adjustment for everyone. But they had food and good health and the challenges drew their family closer together.

And made them fearless. Losing everything can do that to a person. You understand firsthand that God truly means it when He promises to carry you through, to provide what you need, to never leave you alone in the storm. And you come to know the difference between minor things and major ones.

Another woman faces debilitating pain. She acts defeated, ready to give up without even trying to get up again. I contrast that with yet another woman who is dying from cancer. She could be depressed. She could choose to devote her remaining time to self and family. Who could blame her? Instead she has become involved in a women’s prison ministry. She is using her time to give back even as she fights the effects of chemo and disease.

So, I’ll ask you again: How’s your attitude today? Are you defeated before you begin or are you determined to live as a blessed child of God no matter your circumstances? It’s your choice. Which one will it be?