Does your attitude drive your behavior, or does your behavior drive your attitude?
What do you think and why?
[pause and keep your answer in your head]
How often would you work out if you waited until you wanted to? How many times would you practice your instrument, do your homework, or call your family member?
BUT, what happens when you do?
- How do you feel?
- What is the impact or benefit to you or to others?
- What happens to your attitude?
You don’t want to ride, but then you rip off 25 miles at a personal best. You don’t want to make that call, but you return with the sale. You don’t want to engage that person because it will involve conflict, but you return with your friendship restored and even stronger.
There is no way I would have ridden hundreds of miles or run tens of miles over the last few months if I had waited for my attitude to scream, “I really want to go run at 6 a.m. this morning!” So, what gets in the way? All too often, it’s my . . .
. . . Excuses!
I’m too tired, It’s too early. It’s too much of a hassle. I’d rather sleep. I’m not logging as many miles as my friend, so why bother? It’s still not causing my old-man gut to go away. It’s just not worth it (said inside my head with exasperation).
That is only about exercise. What about the really important stuff, like spending time with God in scripture and prayer. What excuses pile on then?
I am way too tired. I am WAY too busy. God doesn’t care anyway. I am worthless and broken, God can’t fix me. It is too hard. I need to do the laundry. Really, I want to do the laundry, clean the fridge, and move boxes in the garage. I need to look at crucial YouTube videos for two hours. A little porn right now might take my mind off of it.
If you are feeling encouraged in any way that DECIDING to do what you may not want to can benefit and bless you or others, what might happen if in that moment, you decided to set your phone and other distractions aside? What if instead you spent 5, 10, or maybe even 20 minutes with God? How do you think that might impact your day?
Now let’s go deeper. What are your personal struggles that you want no one to know? What if in the moment when your attitude really wants to engage in that thing, instead you ask God for the strength to decide well? What if you set aside your excuses and chose to obey, even if just for that instant? What might that do for you?
How many of us cuddle up to our excuses? How many of us will instead ask God for the strength, if even for that moment, to decide, well? What might that do for you? What might that do for your attitude?
HOW does one do this? We’ll have another post on that later.
That you will allow your behavior and decisions to elevate your attitude to a level that blesses and inspires you.