Attitude Adjustment

As I was taking my 12 year old daughter to school this morning (which is never an easy task in fighting traffic 45 minutes both coming and going), I realized that I was suffering from a really bad attitude. Realizing that I needed to rid myself of the negativity and attitude that I was in, I silently prayed while driving back home that God would change my heart.

 

In praying, I could not help but think how utterly wicked I am when left on my own without God's help and guidance. Just my very thoughts alone could kill if one more driver were to cut me off or annoy me to death by driving slow in the fast lane. God helped me to realize then that we as Christians need Him to adjust our attitudes on a daily basis because we do not have the power to change the bad habits of our sinful and selfish thinking on our own.

 

Upon arriving home (after being cut off several more times and my driveway being nearly blocked by a service truck), I knew that I was in need of being refreshed by spending a little time in God's Word. Interestingly enough, I decided to begin a study in the book of Genesis yesterday and today I just happened to be reading the story of Cain and Abel (not a coincidence, I'm sure).

 

After reading the passage of Genesis 4:1-9: "Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” ² Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. ³ And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. ⁶ So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ⁷ If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” ⁸ Now Cain talked with Abel his brother;^[a] and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. ⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

 

After reading this passage, I was instantly appalled at my own attitude, which closely mirrored that of the murderer Cain! I was left utterly speechless because the same attitude that Cain possessed was the same attitude that was living in me!!! My countenance had fallen, I was angry (for whatever reason, I am not even sure). After being confronted I immediately had to repent and ask God to instill in me a new heart, a new attitude that reflects His character and goodness.

 

Finally, our culture is constantly bombarding us, filling our hearts to the brim of selfishness, pride, and negativity. I am certain that we as Christians must sink back from our culture at times and abstain from being absorbed with ungodliness; otherwise, we will find ourselves going about our Christian lives not living in the fullness of joy that God has intended for our lives. Instead, let's sink into God's Word and learn from the mistakes of those who went before us, in my case I learned from Cain today and was able to gain a new perspective!

 

 

Simply put, attitude adjustment!