Healthy Attitudes

1Thess. 5:16-18

SUBJECT: Healthy Christian Attitudes

THEME: As Christians our attitudes, motives, and behaviors are vitally important. The most important is our attitude towards God as we anticipate our Lord’s return.

By definition an attitude is “a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person's behavior.”  Our attitude towards something is the way we think and feel about it, especially when this shows in the way we behave.

The first three attitudes in First Thessalonians chapter five seem to relate particularly to our Heavenly Father. These are joy, trust (prayer), and thanks. Our joy is in Him and from Him. Our prayers are directed to Him as our Provider, and we offer our sincerest and most heartfelt thanks to God! We have already examined joy, now let us look at prayer and thanks.

As Believers we are transformed by the Word and Grace of God; our attitudes can be stimulated by Christ’s coming for us in the Rapture. Notice now the potential impact of prayer and trusting God.

CULTIVATE AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYER  

1Thes 5:17, Pray without ceasing. 

Continuing to pray unceasingly is a definite expression of trust and confidence in the Lord's love, character, wisdom, and power! Prayer is powerful because it is rooted...deeply rooted in a concrete trust in the awesome Word of God. To hang on to God in prayer...to cling to Him refusing to entertain any other options are serious evidences of a well-founded trust. To utter and mean it when we say, 'Your will, O' Lord, on earth as it is in heaven.' To yearn for His will above all...to cry out to God passionately...to hang on to the Lord while hot tears race down your cheeks are activities of unwavering trust in the Lord above all else.

The word "pray" here means to speak to or to make requests of God. It implies enjoying his company and Presence...conversations involving speaking and listening. Speaking confidently with a much-treasured Friend is the idea. It is not racing through a laundry list of requests but entrusting serious concerns and real needs to Him who cares like no other. God wants us to come to Him as often and continually as possible...as frequently as opportunities present themselves...seizing seasons to be with Him. So, what might this look like in our experiences?

There should be a definite daily scheduled period of prayer. Praying continually does not mean abandoning normal life, duties and responsibilities to pray all the time without ever stopping. It is simply choosing the habit of conversing with God daily once we initially engage Him. It is appropriate to cry out to the Lord early on in our day to greet each day by calling upon Him. For many of us, we start praying as soon as we awake. Our first season of formally praying from a list or from our journal is really a continuation of our “Good Morning Lord” prayer. Still starting our day practicing real faith and recognizing the all-important presence of the Lord is vital. What we start initially we can practice periodically throughout the day. It is an exercise of real trust and confidence in the Lord God.

Then we should maintain an attitude of prayerfulness throughout our day. Continuing in fellowship and sweet communion with God is the idea—He becomes your constant companion in every experience. Call God up early in your day and keep Him on the phone throughout your day! Your relationship with God will become more real and meaningful with this attitude of trust, dependence, and prayerfulness. Beloved, we must never stop looking to the Lord. There is no occasion where we are justified in giving up on the Lord. Periodically, repeatedly, and constantly throughout our days we take all our concerns to the Throne of grace confident we will obtain mercy and secure grace to aid us as the needs arise. 

Clearly, we should pray in a recurring fashion. Extemporaneously praying as needs arise, to confess sins, and to express thanksgiving and praise throughout our day are the habits all of God's people must cultivate. Instead of worrying we pray. Another option to living independently is persisting quite dependently upon the Lord. Refusing to 'handle it yourself', choose to take it to the Lord in prayer. A person with a hacking cough would be a good illustration of this valuable discipline. The audible cough is not always heard, but the tendency to cough is always there, so the Christian who prays without ceasing is not always audibly praying, but praying is always the attitude of his or her heart and life. We live in communion with the Lord; sharing each moment in His company is a sheer honor. If we are truly anticipating His return, we will converse with Him consistently and continually.

CULTIVATE AN ATTITUDE OF THANKS  

1Thes 5:18, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Thankfulness should characterize the heart of the Christian. We can even be thankful in adverse situations because we are confident that God will bring something good and beneficial out of it though the situation itself is not good. (Rom 8:28)

Certainly, it is good to pause and thank the Lord for how He has worked, is working, and will work in our lives. To appreciate the care and attention He gives us even when we are not as aware of His care. Such practices of gratitude cultivate hope, cheers the heart, and brings our thoughts into a proper balance. Reflecting on past blessings and numerating them perhaps on a note pad or in a journal creates legitimate hopes and anticipations of good outcomes. After all, the Lord came through before and He is well able to do it again. So, real hope rooted in past experiences with the Lord springs up in the soul transforming us into people marked by this excellent quality. We could also read Scriptures where God gave His people hope and positive anticipations to inspire hope in us. Biographies of Christian giants can also be a great source of growing hope in our hearts and personalities.

In addition, when we focus primarily on the bad, frustrating, and anxious situations, we can become imbalance in our thought life. We will begin to feel like nothing is going well or right. Our thoughts can become almost entirely negative and down cast. However, when we intentionally reflect on the blessings and allow our minds to be filled with these thoughts it helps to restore the balance. Such exercises can prompt us to recognize that which is going well, which counterbalances the ruminations on our disappointments.

Beloved, to note or jot down how God is strengthening, supporting, providing for, encouraging, protecting, teaching, renewing, correcting, empowering, polishing, advancing, and refining me is a great reason to be thankful! Do not miss what He is doing because you allow yourself to think primarily on the frustrating and stressful experiences. Don’t take all the goodnesses of God towards you for granted; thank Him often for what He is doing in you, through you, and with you. We truly are wonderfully privileged to share life with the Most High.

The expression of genuine gratitude will promote humility in our lives. Thanksgiving is an acknowledgment that “I” stand in need.  It is the realization that “I” am not self-sufficient nor independent of God and those He uses to meet my needs. Thankfulness is a sure cure for the disease of pride! Thanksgiving also recognizes that others incurred a cost for me—they sustained an expense to aid or help me. This not only encourages me, but I understand how love has been shown to me. I must accept such love and appreciate the person who was willing to pay whatever price to meet a need in my life. As the receiver of such thoughtfulness it is appropriate to send a thank you card or note. It is advisable to make a call to simply express our gratitude. We must resist the entitlement mentality and show others we genuinely appreciate them and what they are doing to bless and enrich our lives.

An unthankful attitude can lead to spiritual and moral ruin! This is illustrated from the words of the Apostle Paul describing fallen depraved humanity and the decline of civilizations.

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22, Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24, Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25, Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26, For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27, And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. (Rom. 1:21-27)

In this description of the depravity and decline of humanity we see people failed to know God in truth and failed to give Him the glory, honor and praise He deserves. Naturally, this leads to a failure to appreciate and thank Him for His blessings and involvements in our affairs. Meaningless, empty, and biblically unintelligent notions about God will soon displace the truth of Him. At least in the human mind…. Progressing downwardly the pursuit of falsehoods and foolishness replaces real knowledge and wisdom from above. Onward the decline and depravity of humanity continues into various forms of idolatry and spiritual adultery. From here the picture becomes even darker and more godless…issuing into sins of increasing magnitude, pervasiveness, and gravity.

Beloved, the third stage of sinfulness in this dark list of depravity is stated as, “neither were thankful.” My how one grievous sin leads to another! Furthermore, an attitude of ingratitude is not viewed as a serious offense anymore. This fact alone should alert us to the reality that we have declined beyond woeful ignorance of God and giving Him the glory, He rightly deserves. Our descent into sinful attitudes and behaviors are in stage three! How often we overlook His blessings; how many times we forget to say, “Thank You Lord.” We require more and expect more and have little desire to utter the words, “Thank you” to the Lord. We feel ourselves entitled like we deserve God’s highest honors, privileges and blessings. We frequently find ourselves angry with the Lord because we are convinced He is not treating us in a manner becoming of someone of our stature. We are no different than the nine lepers who failed to return to thank the Lord Jesus and give Him praise for His exceptional kindnesses to us. How important it is that we intentionally develop an attitude of gratitude!

Rejoicing, praying, and thanking are known as the standing orders for Christians. We are called on in every situation to exercise ourselves well in these three duties and attitudes. The Scriptures teach us that “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”! Yes, God’s plan for your life includes rejoicing, trusting, and appreciating. In the gospel record, Jesus Christ is the embodiment of these truths, he revealed to us God’s will concerning joy, prayer, and thanksgiving! Occupy yourself accordingly in anticipation of our Lord’s coming for us in the Rapture.

Our lives will be significantly transformed if we took these basic instructions seriously making them an integral part of our daily walk. Every Christian’s life should be distinguished by joy, trust, and gratitude. Depression, anxiety, and ingratitude are not Christian at all. While life presents many serious tensions for us all, we can choose to be joyful, trusting, and appreciative. Make the decision to live in joy, confidence, and gratitude.

In fact, such shining examples would be contagious positively touching others for Christ. When these precious qualities refine our character, we are deeply attractive people. People cannot resist such exuberant joy, confident prayerfulness, and rich gratitude! Beloved, these traits showcase what God can do in our lives and we honor Him. We become living commercials of God’s grace and craftsmanship commending Him to everyone we touch. I truly believe more people would be influenced and drawn to Christ as Savior through our lifestyles of joy, trust, and appreciation. We will have more chances to open our mouths and present the gospel when the glory of godly character shines through us and into the lives of the unsaved. Its a matter of attitudes, attitudes, attitudes!