“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus”

Philippians 2:5

Here are eight thoughts in which we need help from God with our attitudes:

1. “Just my luck! Nothing good ever happens to me, why even try?”
2. “That was the last straw, I’m never forgiving them again.”
3. “I hate that man.”
4. “What a gold-digging phony. The only reason she’s with him is for his money. She doesn’t care about him at all. Just look at what she posts on Facebook.”
5. “What does he know?! I went to seminary and he didn’t! He has no idea what he’s talking about, and I do! I’ll show him.”
6. “God wouldn’t care if I watched this porn. He sees how my wife withholds sex, what else am I supposed to do?”
7. “Look at how big that church is! All that pastor cares about is ripping people off and taking their money!”
8. “Look at how small that church is! If they really knew the gospel more people would go there!”

Now, here are the same eight thoughts, the only difference is, God is helping us with our attitudes about these thoughts: 

1. “I feel very let down, but I know God is still in control. I trust Him, and I still have hope.”
2. “This time, I’m choosing to forgive, but I’m standing firm on the consequences of the boundaries they keep crossing. God, strengthen me to be able to pull this off how you see fit.”
3. “I really don’t like that person at all. God, you see how they rub me wrong. Please help me with these feelings of resentment. I don’t want to feel this way, so help me to not act these feelings out.”
4. “God, I’ve witnessed this woman do some pretty bad things in regard to her marriage on social media. I’m not her judge, so please help me to think of her with goodness. Also, help her to come to know you deeply so that she will honor her husband, as well as you, and to keep private matters private.”
5. “Father, this person seems to really know you. I understand that my degree from seminary doesn’t make me more important to you, so please help me to see this person in the same light that you do. We are brothers.”
6. “I need relief. God you created my body to want sex, and you see that’s not possible right now. Please, help me to not become addicted to fantasizing. I know these thoughts are normal, so help me to keep them under control, and help me with these urges. I really want to have sex, but I also want to honor you and my wife.”
7. “Wow, that’s a big church. God, I’m grateful that you use all of your churches to somehow, someway, change lives and spread the gospel. We might not all agree on everything, but as long as Jesus is preached, you’ll take care of the unimportant stuff. Thank you for that church.”
8. “Wow, that’s a small church. God, I’m grateful that you use all of your churches to somehow, someway, change lives and spread the gospel. We might not all agree on everything, but as long as Jesus is preached, you’ll take care of the unimportant stuff. Thank you for that church.”

Do you recognize the main differences in allowing God to help us with our attitudes? Man, I sure do! Those differences are: peace, hope, love, confidence, and contentment!

God’s design to live through you will help you to be who you really are inside! Christian, YOU HAVE A GREAT ATTITUDE! The attitude of your perfect spirit matches up with the attitude of God, seamlessly!

The top eight attitudes are the attitudes of unbelievers or believers who just don’t know who they are! Do you not see it?! Believer in Jesus, do you not know who you are?! HEY! KNOCK KNOCK! Take your mask off and look in the mirror at your glory! YES! YOU HAVE GLORY! Jesus said so:

“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.” (John 17:22)

But you can only see your glory–a heaven-ready saint with a wonderful attitude–when you remove the veil from your face! How do you do this? By believing the truth of what God’s Spirit is saying about you! Paul explains:

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

We go from glory to glory as we learn who we are inside! DO YOU SEE IT?! Unveil your face! Take off your mask of a bad attitude! It doesn’t belong on you! You and God are not battling with one another over your attitude! He’s not trying to help you with your attitude to change you, He’s trying to help you with your attitude to teach you that this is who you really are!

When we do this we are revealing who the Sons and Daughters of God are to all of the world, right now! They are waiting for us to be our true selves! Look!

“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8:19)

Friend, stop focusing on your incorrect actions and attitudes and simply reveal who you are inside! Creation is impatiently waiting for you to be you!

Please begin to realize that you’re not trying to “get closer” to God to fix your attitude, YOU ARE AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN POSSIBLY GET–INSIDE HIM! (See Colossians 3:3). Further, you’re not “following” Jesus to learn from Him–HE’S IN YOU, TEACHING YOU YOUR IDENTITY! (See 1 Corinthians 6:19, Romans 12:2, Philippians 1:6). The apostles physically followed Him, but we have something so much better on this side of the Cross! WE HAVE ONENESS WITH HIM FOR GOOD! (Ephesians 1:13).

So today, my friends, know this: You have the same attitude of Christ–you’re not trying to achieve it. His Spirit bears witness of this truth to your spirit, at all times. What will it take for you to believe Him? Please, I say this with all love and respect, but wake up and realize that you and God are one. Your old spirit died and you got a new, perfect spirit which is connected to Him (see Romans 6:6-7, Galatians 2:20). Stop trying to work for or “get” what you already have! BE YOURSELF AND LIVE HIM OUT! You are not a conduit, you’re a person. You and God work together. It’s not “all of Him and none of you,” no, it’s both of you, equally. You want what He wants, and He wants what you want! Your minds are one! When you believe this truth about who you really are inside, a wonderful attitude will sprout up and out of you, organically. Have a great day, you holy saint!

A prayer for you: Father, thank you for another day of life! For so long, I didn’t like my life, and that’s because I had an attitude which was not authentic. Now that you’ve revealed who I am inside, I’m starting to get it! I was re-created in spirit to have the same mind of Christ–and I actually do! Awesome! Right now, I lift up all who are reading this, directly to you. So many of them struggle with their attitudes, and that struggle is happening for a reason. Bad attitudes are not legitimate for heaven-ready people, and that’s who we are. When we have poor attitudes, it doesn’t feel right because it’s not right. WE have great attitudes! We don’t have fake attitudes, but REAL attitudes. All day long, you give us the ability to acknowledge difficult situations, people, and thoughts, and then you gently counsel us into the truth of who we really are. Keep doing it! We trust you! In Christ’s name I pray, amen.

This devotional is from 60 Days for Jesus, Volume 3. Get your copy here!