ATTITUDE

We are very quick to catch when our kids need an attitude adjustment.  We are also very quick to make snap judgments about others who need a personality repair.  However the mirror we look into can sometimes seem to blur the black cloud of bitterness, negativity, depression, anger, sorrow, spitefulness, or gloom that hangs over our own head at times.

Have you been there?  I am this week....just being honest. I am in a rotten mood. I am sure part of it is because my summer is ending and reality is settling in on a sour note, but I know that is not the only reason.  I am allowing bitterness about my irresponsible ex-husband to fester in my soul. I am tired of the fact that he gets to do whatever he wants to do and get away with it, while I work so hard and still don't make ends meet and still cannot get a house for the boys and I...something we want very badly.  He gets to leave the country and not pay child support for most of their lives, but I am stuck here under his control and cannot even move back to Ohio with my family unless I come up with a ton of money to fight it in court.  Yes, I guess I am on the life is not fair tantrum stage.  Those who know me, know this story well about my ex, for those who do not, I will not go into any details...well because it will just darken my mood even more, but yes...he does get away with doing whatever he wants and no one does anything about it.  He loves the control he knows he has over my life...it is one of the millions of reasons I left him in the first place, his very domineering, controlling, manipulative, deceitful attitude....but yet here I am....divorced for about a decade and still living under his domineering control.  The worst part is watching the two people that mean most to me in the world have to also deal with his disappointments.  And I will stop there...before I cry over it even more, or throw the computer hoping it will release some of the rage built up in me.

So....you see...I am in a rotten mood.  If a good friend can please come slap it out of me, it would be greatly appreciated.  Along with the anger, confusion enters the scene ready to contort my attitude even more. I have big dreams of getting a house for us, and having my family live closer so I can hug my mom whenever I want, and watch my sweet nieces grow up. I also want my dream of becoming a published writer to just fall into place so I can begin sharing a loving Savior with millions through creative writing dealing with circumstances that often fight for control over our life leaving us in the mist of chaos and despair.   Apparently I have also been in the begging why questions every few minutes stage.

Have you been there?  I am sure we all go through these stages. So how do we get out?  How do I strengthen my faith to the point of believing that God is the one who truly has control over my life so that I do not live in this dark pit of what seems to be an empowered ex-husband pressing the very life out of me?  How do I crawl out of that pit of strangling thoughts ready to destroy me?

Well, I think it starts with a simple statement of, "this too shall pass".  I need to know that feelings come and go and my mood will lighten, along with the circumstances I face.  But I also must take action...if I just sit back and relax in my pit, then it will soon become a lifestyle instead of a moment of weakness.  I have to fight back....and I have to remember who the real enemy is and fight back against him; not putting the target on my ex.....Lord-I need your help with that one right now!

How do I fight back?  The power of prayer, praise, and positive promises.

I need to get on my knees instead of on the phone complaining to anyone who will listen about my crappy mood.  I need to put the praise and worship music on and listen to the lyrics with an intensity that overrides that racket raiding my mind.  Then I need to allow that praise to flow to my lips and combat the negative with words of worship to a faithful Jesus.  Because I am telling you....with all the above mess...and whatever your story is that causes you to either slip easily into manic moods, or allows you to live daily in a destructive, depressive state of mind...none of it compares to the power of Jesus.  Just calling on His name can immediately bring a stillness to your soul that will begin to sweep away the stress.  I know this because of the millions of positive promises in His word.  Open it...read it...believe it...speak it...receive it...live it.

And on top of it all remember this: 
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. 

And this is found in the book of Job. If you do not know that story of Job...read it...it will make your day look better! I know my sorrows are little compared to what many face...but please still know that no matter how big your difficult situation is- GOD IS BIGGER. And He does love you in a way you can not even comprehend; therefore, He will get you through this...weather it is just a bad mood, a bad day, a bad past, a bad lifestyle, a bad situation, or a bad mindset- HE IS STILL BIGGER! So allow Him to not only lighten your load, but also change your attitude about whatever you are facing!  Immediately begin by praying, praising, and speaking positive promises into your life...if it helps....I am doing it right along with your right now! With His strength- we can do it :)

P.S. OK, I know this is already long, but I have to add this...I was just watching this dancing television show and the ballet dancer was on stage when someone trying to ruin him pulled the plug on his music.  This was for a major event that would determine a lot about their future...so what do you do when the unexpected happens?  It is all about your attitude.  He could have run off stage crying ashamed, embarrassed, or discouraged.  He could of became angry at the enemy ballet dancer trying to destroy him and let that take over his emotions.  But he did neither.  He told the audience to watch and imagine the music in their head and went on to display a top-notch excellent performance....before it ended a friend got the music back on and everything worked out.  ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT not the situations you face...because you have a Savior to turn the music back on as long as you keep dancing joyfully in the mist of the mess.