It's Contagious

I admit my attitude is faaaar from perfect, but I do take pride in my optimistic outlook on life...most of the time!

Bad attitudes are just contagious.   For me, it starts with a grumpy mood and then poof, it is out of control!  It’s like taking your kid to the pediatrician’s office with a cold and leaving with chicken pox!  God has been on me about this lately.  He doesn’t want me feeling down in the midst of tough times.  He wants me to lean on Him!  And, if I forget that, I am at risk of spreading my bad attitude to those around me!  If you don’t believe me, just ask any mommy…if our day is bad…the kid'(s) day is often bad too!

Here is what I do not like about bad attitudes: they make me say and do things I would not typically say or do, they convince me to not care for my mind and body, they tell me my efforts are worthless and that no one cares, they drag me down, keep me from the things I love and they zap my energy.  Bad attitudes are just too much work and yet like the Chicken Pox, sometimes they just hang around way too long.

We have good times and we have bad times.  He never promised us this earth would be full of peace, joy and happiness.  As a matter of fact, he already warned us ahead of time in John 16:33, “…in this world, you will have trouble”…the part we forget is “but take heart for I have overcome the world.”  With Him, we can have peace even when we are missing out on some joy and happiness.

So, there is really no reason to act surprised when we hit bumps in the road.  They are expected.  And, according to His word, we should take joy in them because they are part of His plan.   This grumpy place caught me by surprise, although it shouldn’t have, I’ve been so excited about studying this “Life with God” since I got back from my first class.

Then, it hit me…well, actually Oswald Chambers hit me with the truth…in this devotional. He reminds us that it is spiritual selfishness to desire the mountain top all the time.  It often seems that My Utmost for His Highest carries a series of devotionals on a topic right when I need them most.  The next day he reminded me that “after every time of exaltation, we are brought down with a sudden rush into things as they really are, where it is neither beautiful, poetic, nor thrilling.”  I feel like I’ve been in that place lately and I’ve been very grumpy about it!  So, I will rejoice in that place, even if I have been getting squeezed.  I will rejoice from the squeeze because after all, to make wine, the grapes must get squeezed.  I just hope that rejoicing is contagious too!