Have you ever heard someone say that a person's attitude says a lot about that person? Attitude helps others figure out when something may be wrong with someone. Attitude also helps people see whether or not an individual is satisfied, content, etc.. in any given situation. So, this means that a positive attitude says a lot about a person; unfortunately, a bad negative says a lot about a person too! So as I began to sit and think about this concept-what it means, and how it has the power to change a situation or a person-I realized that there is a lot of power in my attitude for any aspect in my life. I realized that if the power of a person's attitude carries so much weight in the physical world, then imagine how much weight it carries in the spiritual world?
In thinking so carefully on this, I decided to put it to the test. I mean can my attitude really effect how God answers my prayers, as well as, how long it takes for Him to do so? Could it really be possible that my attitude is one of the determining factors in how effective my prayers are to God's ears? When I put this concept to the test, I found out that my attitude does weigh a certain amount on how I pray to God, and how swiftly He answers such prayers. Is it the only determining factor? Of course not! But, it is a very key aspect in my conversations with God, through prayer. I had heard pastors say for years how a positive attitude ( an attitude of Thanksgiving) has to come into play in getting prayers answered. I even read it in the word of God. "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving". (Colossians 4:2) I have to say, I still found my stubbornness to not always have a gracious attitude with speaking to God. I wanted Him to know how miserable I was at the moment! And I expected Him to FIX it right then! How unfortunate is it that we allow the daily circumstances in life determine our overall reverence to God! How selfish is it that we should be put out of our miserable right when we want to be, and how we want to be!
Let me just say that in coming to God with griping and complaining, I NEVER got the answer that I wanted. Why? Because God loved me too much to take me out of my misery, simply because I demanded Him too. It was during these long battles that I learned something. First of all, I was loved by God, regardless of what situation I found myself in! And in His love for me, He had to mature me. He had to build me into who He needed me to be for His purpose! It was during these trials-that seemed to never end-that I learned the true beauty of what God really had for me. It was during these times that I saw how God continued to love me (even though I was completely ungrateful, completely undeserving). I saw His love for me although I was battling through the night per say, I still felt Him battling with me. I felt His love for me even though I was hurting so much inside, even though I was absolutely broken!! I learned that "He was simply building my testimony!" (Pastor C. Jerome Lynch) He was creating me to do His work. After I began to see how gracious God remained towards me (even when I was continuing to be ungrateful towards Him), I slowly began to see His will for me! I saw His ultimate plan for me unfolding-beginning with the changing of my negative, pessimistic, and ungrateful attitude. Instead of resisting Him so much, I started yielding to Him a whole lot more. In doing so, I saw myself change-slowly becoming the person He had created me to be. That change started to have a radical effect on my prayer life with Him. Instead of coming to His presence complaining about all I was going through in life, I came to His presence thanking Him for getting me through all I was going through in life. I started thanking Him for the growth and maturity that I was experiencing within myself. I started thanking Him with anticipation for what He was getting ready to do in my life, the doors that He was getting ready to open-the absolute peace and joy (regardless of circumstances) that I had began to feel. I even started teaching Chastity that we have to come into God's presence with "an attitude for gratitude and an atmosphere of praise".
It was as if I was experiencing a life in Christ with a completely different set of glasses! It was as if I was truly being made over! A newness began in me! Has this always been easy for me? No, it hasn't. But, has it been worth it to change my attitude though? Yes, it truly has! I am ever so grateful that instead of dealing me what I had dealt Him, Christ continued to give me grace and mercy, and full forgiveness for my behavior. It made my repenting of such arrogance all the more better and easier! I would encourage anybody who may be feeling that their prayers are going unanswered, or simply not even reaching God's ears, to pray earnestly and thankfully. Be thankful in your requests and grateful in your attitude in your communion with Christ. It will make a world of difference in when your prayers are answered, and how they are answered. After all, He tells us in His word to, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord
he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures to all generations." (Psalms 100:1-5)
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