Dictionary.com defines attitude as: manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind.
Here are a few citations from the field of psychology explaining attitude:
North (1932) has defined attitude as "the totality of those states that lead to or point toward some particular activity of the organism. The attitude is, therefore, the dynamic element in human behavior, the motive for activity."w t
Lumley (1928) an attitude is "a susceptibility to certain kinds of stimuli and readiness to respond repeatedly in a given way—which are possible toward our world and the parts of it which impinge upon us."
I've been reading LORD CHANGE MY ATTITUDE (Before It's To Late) by James MacDonald. Chapter one deals with a complaining attitude---(something that we all know a little about). The chapter starts out with MacDonald having his readers say this statement in a sentence:
Complaining is an attitude choice that if left unchecked will wither my capacity to experience joy and genuine thankfulness.
So, go ahead and give it a try, say it a few times to yourself and then out loud---you may find yourself complaining now, saying, I don't have to do anything I don't wont to do, I'm going to another blog! No please stay with me, I know this is painful, but it is so honoring to the Lord to have the right kind of attitude.
I think the key word in the statement is the fact that complaining is a choice, and we choose everyday to define ourselves by our attitudes---how we respond to outside stimuli.
Just a FYI, later in the book MacDonald lets his readers know that there is a difference between complaining and being critical. Go ahead see if you can figure out the difference---McDonald tells us that complaining is always towards our circumstances while criticism is always directed towards people.
One of the best explanations on attitude comes from Chuck Swindoll:
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.
I' ll end with Paul's admonition to the Philippians:
"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus..." (Philippians 2:5).
Oh, by the way Chapter two of the book deals with replacing a complaining attitude with an attitude of thankfulness---more to come.
Father, help us to be aware of out attitude---for your glory and honor. Help us to allow the Holy Spirit to change us, so that we may be more like you.
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