Attitude Adjustment

What comes to mind when you hear the words “attitude adjustment”?  I must confess the term has been on my mind and heart lately.  Everyday I stumble across some little tidbit pertaining to attitude, sometimes in the strangest places.  Over the years I’ve learned these things are not a coincidence and the Lord is continually using my circumstances to teach me something. 

As “attitude” has been in the forefront of my mind, I decided to study up on the subject.  Being a Scrabble addicted, word lover I typically begin my studies by consulting Noah Webster.  Noah says to adjust is “to bring into proper relationship”.  That definition immediately sent my thoughts to the idea of bringing my attitude into a proper relationship with God’s Word and His will. 

Romans 15:5-6 tells us:

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had. What kind of attitude was that?

Philippians 2 makes it clear.

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

It can’t be any clearer than that. Notice I didn’t say, it doesn’t get any easier than that. What is asked of us isn’t easy because we’re all human and doing what is right doesn’t come easy. I love the use of the word “mindset” in the NIV version. Mindset is defined as “a fixed mental attitude that predetermines a person’s responses and interpretations to a situation”.  In other words, we need to “fix” our minds on God’s Word as we process and respond to day to day life.

Having this mindset doesn’t come automatically.  I find myself wishing “there was an app for that”.  Something I could install on an electronic device that would let me know how I’m doing.  Airplanes have such a device and it’s called an attitude sensor.  Notice, I didn’t say altitude sensor, but rather, attitude sensor.  This device shows the airplane’s position in relation to the horizon. Put simply, attitude can be up, down or level.  Imagine if we, as Christians, had a sensor continually within our vision to let us know how we’re doing. When our attitude was heading down, an alert would sound. Perhaps when our attitude showed no change another alert would sound to prod us to action.  Finally, how encouraging would it be to get an affirmation as our attitude climbed toward the heavens!

While, at this point in time, there isn’t an electronic app for us; we do have a real and tangible app in God’s Word. We have the perfect example of attitude in Jesus. That’s why is it so vital that we remain in God’s Word, training or “setting” our minds daily.  Our human minds require renewal.

Romans12 spells it out for us.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Renewing tells us that the process in ongoing. It’s not a one shot deal by any means. We need to continually fill our minds with God’s Word to combat what the world throws at us. The phrase “out with the old and in with the new” comes to mind.

Ephesians offers an excellent “attitude adjusting” technique.

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.

You and I need to be purposeful in putting off our old self, just as we would put off (take off) dirty clothes. We wouldn’t spend the day working in the yard, come inside to take a shower and then put our dirty clothes back on.  Neither would we, as women, lose 20 pounds and continue to wear our “fat jeans”.  So it is with our former way of life, we need to “put it off” and keep it off.

I’ve been a Christian for 37 years now.  Reflecting back and using my newfound knowledge about “attitude sensors”, I’ve a new mental image of this journey I’m on. This flight I call my life is many things.  Sometimes it’s smooth, other times it’s turbulent, there are days I soar and climb, some seasons show little change, and occasionally I nose dive.  Praise God that I have His Word to be my attitude sensor and the blessed assurance that I will eventually arrive safe and sound at my final destination!