Inspiration for Living

The Attitude of a Christian: - 5 Ways That Christians Can Maintain A Positive Attitude

One of the most powerful witnessing tools that a Christian has is a positive attitude. It tells the world that we believe in what we profess. It gives meaning to our message. Even though most of us know that our attitude carries more weight than we give it credit, maintaining a positive attitude is still one of the major challenges that we face on a daily basis.
Most of us have probably heard the phrase, “your attitude is everything”. It's a phrase that many people use to inspire or motivate others. It has also become the staple phrase of many motivational speakers. In fact, many of us have probably have heard it so much that it has lost its meaning. But for every Christian, we must always remember that our attitude really does have everything to do with our ability to be a witness for our Savior.

We're going to take a look at five things that we can do to help maintain a positive attitude. But first, let's take a quick look at what “attitude” is and why maintaining a positive one is important to us as Christians.

What is attitude?
So, what exactly is attitude? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is “a mental position with regard to a fact or state; a feeling or emotion toward a fact or state”. The following story provides a good example. One day a grandfather was sitting in the front of his country store with his grandson. The store was just outside of a mid-size city and was a frequent stop for travelers to the city.

A car pulled up to the two and a young man stuck his head out of the car and asked for directions to a certain area of the city. The young driver told of how he had just been transferred by his job and would be relocating to the nearby city. After the grandfather gave him the directions, the young man then asked the older man what were the people like in that city. “What were the people like in the city that you just left?”, the grandfather asked him. “Well”, said the young man, “they were mean, rude, and a bunch of fools. Most of them were uneducated and simple. I'm glad to not have to be around those bumpkins any longer.” The grandfather looked at the young man and said, “Well, you'll find the same kind of people over there where you're going. They'll be mean, rude, and simple. Most of them will probably be foolish and uneducated. In fact, you probably won't like the people, or the area, at all.” Hearing this, the young man frowned, started his car, and then sped off down the road.

A few minutes later, another car pulled up to the front of the store. The driver looked to be about the same age as the young man that had just drove off.
But this time, their new visitor got out of his car and with a bright smile gave the grandfather and grandson a hearty, “Howdy! How are you two young fellas enjoying this beautiful day out here today?” The two returned the young man's smile and the grandfather replied, “We're enjoying it pretty good! How about yourself?” “I'm feeling great!” said the young man. “I'm going to be relocating to the city just up ahead and I'm really looking forward to it.” The young man then asked the grandfather, “What are the people like in that city?” The grandfather looked at the young man and asked, “What were the people like in the city that you just left?” The young driver quickly said, “They were wonderful. They were kind, considerate, and thoughtful. They were some of the best people that you would ever want to be around. I'm really sorry to have had to leave them. But the position that I was offered in this new city was an opportunity that I really couldn't pass up. I loved the people in my old city!” The grandfather gave the young man an even broader smile than before and said, “Son, you're going to find the exact same kind of people there. The people are kind, considerate, and thoughtful. They're going to be some of the best people that you could ever want to be around! Welcome to the area. If you ever need anything, just come back here and we'll help you in any way that we can. You are always welcome here.” The young man smiled at his two new friends, shook their hands, and then got into his car and drove towards his new home.

The grandson, who had been observing the exchanges between his grandfather and their visitors looked at his grandfather and with a puzzled look said, “Granddad, why did you tell those two men different answers to the same question that they asked you? You weren't lying to them were you?” The grandfather looked into the eyes of his grandson and he said, “No grandson. I didn't lie to them. Their attitude will make it so!”

Why A Positive Attitude Is So Important
Attitude is what “makes our world so”. It's how we see the world, and in return, how the world sees us. It's the outlook that we choose to view our surroundings. It's our perspective on the daily happenings in our lives and our reactions to those happenings. Our attitudes are our interpretations about our lives. It's one of the first things that people can “feel” about us. It's something that cannot be seen visually but can be felt almost immediately. For the Christian, it is one of the most visible manifestations of our relationship with Christ.

Why is that true? Because the Bible tells us in Philippians 2:5 (NIV) that our “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus”. If the world sees that we carry around a negative attitude, they can assume the same thing about Christ because we are supposed to be His reflections. So, a negative attitude can tarnish our witness. Not even people with negative attitudes themselves want to be around other people with negative attitudes! A relationship with Christ is supposed to bring joy, peace, and faith to our lives. A negative attitude is in direct contrast with true joy. It's an enemy of peace. It will consistently chip away at our faith.

As Christians, we must do all that we can to maintain a positive attitude.
Now let's be clear, a positive attitude does not mean that we go through life pretending that everything is all good and perfect. A quick glance at the evening news or the headlines from the morning's newspaper will quickly set us straight. There are all forms of devastation, destruction, and sorrow in every corner of the globe. Maintaining a positive attitude does not mean that we don't accept the harsh realities of life.

For the Christian, a positive attitude lets the world know that in spite of all the sorrow, grief, and destruction in the world, our joy is based on something more. It lets the world know that “He healeth the broken in heart” (Psalms 147:3). It's our evidence to the world that, “God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). A positive attitude shows the world that we believe the promise that tells us to, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

For the Christian, a positive attitude is a badge of faith; faith in a God that has promised to never leave us; to give us His joy; and to be with us in any and every circumstance.

What Can We Do To Maintain A Positive Attitude
Now, let’s take a look at five things we can do to help us maintain a positive attitude:
1 - Pray. We must pray! Let God know what's going on in your life and ask Him to help you deal with it all. Ask Him to help you keep a positive attitude and strengthen your faith. Prayer is one of the cornerstones of faith and it's how we communicate with God. It's also how we let God know what's on our minds. Yes, of course He knows everything about us, but that does not take away our responsibility to pray. “And all things, whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22). And when we pray we must also believe that God has heard our prayers, and will answer them.
2 - Be grateful. The Bible tells us that “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Giving thanks to God takes our mind off of ourselves and refocuses it on Christ. There's a lot of negativity that can creep into our minds when we are self-centered and selfish. Giving thanks to God reaffirms in our minds that what we have comes from Him. It confirms to ourselves that despite our circumstances, we are still blessed beyond what we deserve. An attitude of gratitude also shows the world that we acknowledge that God is supreme and that we can neither do or have anything without Him.
3 - Praise. We must praise God for who He is, what He has done, and how He has done it. Praise is powerful! The Bible says: “Sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts” (1 Chronicles 16:9, NIV), “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name”(1 Chronicles 16:29, NIV), and “Praise Him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness” (Psalm 150:2). One of the reasons why praise is so powerful is because it humbles us before an Almighty God. When we give heartfelt praise to God, we are letting it be known that we understand that there is Someone bigger than ourselves. It opens up the channels through which we can be blessed.
4 - Serve. We must seek opportunities to serve others. “The life of the true Christian is one continuous round of service.” (Testimonies for the Church p.220) When we serve others we are blessed in several ways. One way is that we can be assured that we are doing the work of our Master. Our service also blesses us because we are helping others, and when we bless others we know that blessings come back to us. Then, in addition, a little known secret of service, is that when we serve, our minds are channeled outward, which leaves us no time to harbor negative feelings. When we serve others our minds become engulfed with the work at hand and we are left with no time to grumble or complain.
5 - Smile and laugh. It's hard to have a negative attitude when we put on a genuine smile. Our smiles are facial advertisements for our personalities. Smiling helps us to generate good feelings both in ourselves and in others. With smiling, should accompany laughter.

The Bible says in Proverbs 17:22 that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Laughter is good for us. Researchers have found that laughter can lower blood pressure, help to reduce stress hormones, and can boost the immune system. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins and can give us an overall sense of feeling good. Laughter can truly be the best medicine to help us keep a healthy and positive attitude.

A positive attitude is a badge of honor for a Christian. It gives an unspoken voice to our testimony. It can leave a permanent and powerful impression on the minds of others. Let us work to honor our Lord by our positive attitudes.