Every once in a while, I get in a mode where I just feel like writing. Sometimes I have no clue what to write about. Other times, like now, there are things close to my heart that I am just bursting to share…

Attitude. This has been something I have struggled with ever since I was a little girl – keeping a positive, good attitude. Often, I have battled with overreacting and seeing the bad in things, then focusing on those things – not even attempting to see the positive side.

During my time in South Africa over the past 2.5 years, God has really challenged me to work on that attitude – to change my perspective on life. Throughout this time, it has become my goal to always try to find the good in every situation – to look for the positives, even when it seems the negatives are dominant. God’s blessings are always present and abundant. However, we sometimes allow our vision to get so clouded that it takes extra effort to find those blessings.

One practice that has helped me to “find” the blessings each day is to write down seven specific things from the day that I can thank God for. Some days the blessings are just so evident, and seven simply isn’t enough to contain them. Other days, I find myself thinking through each hour of the day, grasping for something to write. But, truth be told, there is not one day that I could not come up with at least seven specific things for which to thank God.

God has also changed my outlook on sad or devastating circumstances. Previously, I used to fear and worry about how I would cope if something terrible ever happened in my life. Now, God has given me a true peace. I know that is probably easy to say when I am not faced with any of those tremendously difficult situations. However, I know that, should God choose to send them my way, He is not going to leave me to bear them alone – He is going to be there with me, each step of the way. No doubt, it will be difficult and it will be a struggle; but, I have no reason to fear because God has a plan – and, I am confident that He will use each situation for His glory.

Many of you may be wondering why I decided to write about attitude. Well, recently, for about a period of one week, I temporarily reverted back to my old ways, as far as my attitude… I allowed myself to dwell on the negative things, and even draw negativity out of things that were not negative at all. My perspective and vision then became so clouded that I couldn’t manage to “find” the good things, the positives things – God’s blessings. I know they were there, but I was in such a frame of mind that I didn’t even want to find them. It was more “fun” for me to just continue on in my misery, self-pity, and complaining.

Looking back, I see how incredibly irrational and downright silly I was being – not to mention, how wrong I was for allowing myself to be overcome like that. I tried to use my circumstances as an excuse for my attitude and my responses. In reality, those circumstances were just revealing what was already in my heart… This principle is one that I have often referred to in discussions with people, as well as in evaluation of my own life – but, it is one that I allowed to temporarily slip my mind. Thankfully, God gives us friends who will confront us in our sins and will tell us what we need to hear, rather than what we want to hear.

One night, a friend confronted me about my attitude – he reminded me that circumstances are not an excuse; they are simply a revelation of what is already inside. And, hearing him repeat back to me all the negatives and complaints I had just laid in front of him, I realised how absolutely absurd and crazy they sounded – they were nothing to even be complaining about! At that moment, I was struck by the fact that I had allowed my bad attitude to overtake me. I was not being me – one who tries to find the good and positive in every situation, one who tells people to smile because there is always something to smile about, one who encourages.

I went home with a very heavy heart – knowing I needed to change my attitude, but not exactly knowing how to do it. The next morning, I did my Bible study in Seeking Him and it was exactly what I needed to get over that hump and back to the right frame of mind. At that moment, my perspective shifted back to where it needed to be – even then, the whole day looked brighter. It is amazing the joy and peace you can feel, when you know that God is in control and that there is always something to be thankful for! And now, I am even more thankful for a God who is always faithful – who never gives up on us – and for friends who are willing to tell you the hard things, in order to help you grow and walk in a right relationship with God.

So, that’s it – that is what God has been laying on my heart. And now, I have hopefully satisfied that burning desire I had to write. I know this turned out to be quite a long exposition, but I hope that it may serve to be an encouragement, and maybe even a challenge, to you. Take the time to find God’s blessings in your life!