Scriptures
“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” – Luke 6:43-45 ESV(emphasis added)
Also see: Matthew 25:29a ESV; John 10:10 ESV
Poor Attitudes
Isn’t it true that what you apply a poor attitude towards quickly dies?
If we want to find abundance in our hearts and in our speech, our negative attitude needs to go.
Will it be hard to transform our attitudes? Yes.
Will it be worth it? Also yes!
The following are three “thieves” who steal our positive attitude:
- Complaints
- Arrogance
- Apathy
The Thief of Complaining
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” – Philippians 2:14-15 ESV(emphasis added)
Maybe it’s difficult overcoming the obstacles we’re facing, but we only make the mountain taller by complaining about it.
In college, I struggled to refrain from complaining against my professors.
Or complaining against classes that didn’t count towards my major.
Or complaining about the weather.
Let me tell you, misery likes company. If you have a reason to complain, you don’t have to look too far to find friends.
However, if we want to achieve what few people in their lives ever truly find, complaining about our circumstances needs to end.
The Thief of Arrogance
Hurt people still hurt people.
Hurt children hurt other children. Hurt adults hurt other adults.
Whether this is common knowledge to us or not, is it common practice?
Do we acknowledge when we feel hurt? Are we raising our awareness in times of pain? Do we monitor our own behavior closely when we experience suffering?
Or do we spread the hurt to others?
Let’s do our best to make sure the chain of pain ends with us!
This simple solution takes a lifetime to master. The solution is letting go.
Going and giving our pain to God in prayer is essential to spiritual healing, spiritual wellbeing, and spiritual abundance.
No one else needs to be impacted by the hurt you feel, even if that means forgiving the person who inflicted the pain.
We don’t love people based on who they are, we love people based on who God says we are.
We are the children of the living God. Let’s not let our pain smother our inner light.
The Thief of Apathy
It takes effort to understand someone. It takes initiative to care.
Loving other people is going to take our energy, effort, and endurance.
The remedy to apathy is attentive listening.
The easy thing to do is not pay attention, not listen, not care. But anything worth having is often an uphill battle.
Yes, it will be hard. Yes, it will be worth it.
Another simple practice that takes a life time to master.
Action Steps
Speak positively
What areas of my life have I been complaining about either to others, to God, or even to myself?
What aspects of my daily life do I need to transform my attitude in order to grow?
Forgive early and often
Have we been short with anyone recently? Have we lost our patience with a co-worker or family member or friend?
If you’re like me, the people I lose my patience with tend to form a pattern. Reconciling with God and others is a powerful way to developing an abundant heart.
Who do you need to humbly ask forgiveness from?
Who do we need to forgive from our hearts?
Listening with eyes and ears
Who can I pay closer attention to in the next two days with both my eyes and my ears?
What appointments and interactions will I have in the two days that I can seek to understand their point of view in a deeper way?
Who is on my list of people I lose patience with and how can I put more energy into giving them mercy?
Prayer
Lord, help us forgive. Help us heal. Help us listen, in Jesus’ holy name, amen.
An Abundant Heart Part I: Mindset
