A Bad Attitude – the Chosen Disability

A Bad Attitude – the Chosen Disability

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. – Scott Hamilton

I wouldn’t say a bad attitude is the only disability in a life, but it certainly is a destructive force in anyone’s life. A bad attitude is symptomatic of a spiritual disease at the core of our being.

Wow!” Someone says, “Aren’t you being overly dramatic and extreme here? We can all be a little unreasonable at times and our frustrations cause us to lash out at times; the innocent often bear the brunt of our frustrations, but no real harm is done.”

What? No harm is done? Please!

Growing up I often heard this reaction to unkind and bullying words being hurled at someone: “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. Thoughtless or malicious words have the power to sever relationship, cause divorce, and send people into depression. Sarcasm can make the victim feel undervalued, or worse, make them angry. In its extreme form, anger can lead to violence and even murder. Don’t tell me words will never hurt me, or anyone else. Kind words can bring healing to the human spirit, but unkindness stemming from a bad attitude can wreak havoc and wound people in ways from which they may never recover.

A bad attitude is caused by a broken relationship with our Heavenly Father. A man or woman in harmony with God will never treat others in a way that demeans them.

A bad attitude shows we are blind to the value of a human soul to God. Christ died for every man woman and child on the face of the earth. They are that important to Him.

Not only is a bad attitude something that causes disabilities in others, it causes disabilities in us as well.

We will be disabled SOCIALLY

Who would want to be around a person who regularly disregards their feelings and refuses to listen to reason? A bad attitude will drive us into isolation.

We will be disabled EMOTIONALLY

Anyone with a bad attitude will be out of sorts with themselves and can never be truly happy. People with a bad attitude I have always recognized as unhappy and discontented individuals.

We will be disabled SPIRITUALLY

A person with a bad attitude cannot engage in meaningful prayer. Just as a bad attitude sabotages relationships with other people, it also undermines our relationship with God.

The worst thing about the disability of a bad attitude is that it is not thrust upon us. We can only be disabled by it if we choose to have a bad attitude. On the other hand we can choose to have a good one.

A Wise Choice

(© 1^st May 2015 – by Christopher Shennan)

 Love is patient, love is kind [and] is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant… (1 Corinthians 13:4 – NASB)

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. – Scott Hamilton

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32 – NASB)

An attitude is something you can choose;

Both good and bad, no one makes you have it.

You can decide in life to win or lose –

A good attitude you can have – if you crave it.

No one sane, would choose to be disabled,

At least not when it comes to sight or limb;

They’d choose instead to be enabled

To run a race, play a game, or to climb

Yet many choose to have bad attitude,

Crippling them in heart and mind and spirit;

They know not how to live with gratitude,

Or have a true peace – rejoicing in it.

You can have any attitude you choose;

Choose wisely – it can make you win or lose.

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Vengeance is Sworn by Jacob Haas. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-ND 2.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at this link. We made no changes to this photograph.

Surviving Pain from the Past

Surviving Pain from the Past

“And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God [said he] hath made me forget all my toil, and all my Father’s house.” (Genesis 41:51 – AKJV)

Pain from the past can kill joy for the present, and smother hope for the future.

I know without knowing them that many people are living miserable lives because of an injustice done to them in the past, a tragedy they can’t forget, or a slight they can’t forgive.

It is impossible to list all that may bring us pain from the past; what pains one person may not pain another. Multitudes suffer some form of depression preventing them from living productive and fulfilling lives.

I am not blaming these people; not one of us knows what our reaction will be to any number of circumstances that may afflict us. We don’t know what incident in the past may cripple our ability to live life to the fullest.

I am in full sympathy with those who are in such a condition, but I want to offer them hope. Few have suffered the hatred and injustice that Joseph suffered. He was hated by his brothers. Most of them wanted to kill him because of their jealousy. He was sold as a slave, accused of sexual harassment, spent years in jail, and only eventually found recognition and a platform of influence and usefulness.

Through it all Joseph never faltered; he never allowed past injustice to poison his outlook or dim his vision of what God would do in his life. He was diligent in every situation he found himself in, and gave himself fully to the tasks immediately before him.

How did he do this? Was he some kind of superman the rest of us have no hope of living up to? No, he was an ordinary man with an extraordinary God. He kept on trusting against all odds. That is all he had – faith in God.

Someone says, “It can’t be that simple. There must be more to it than that.” There isn’t. That’s it. Faith in God, nothing more.

No matter what pains you have suffered from the past I won’t refer you to a psychologist or subject you to psychoanalysis. I’ll just give you a four word prescription: “Have faith in God.”

You can mock my advice. You can say it is an over simplification. No matter. It worked for Joseph. It has worked for multitudes since, and it has worked for me.

At last Joseph had a testimony to God’s faithfulness that could not be gainsaid or denied: “For God [said he] hath made me forget all my toil, and all my Father’s house.”

If Joseph were here to give you advice of how to survive the pains of the past, I am certain it would be the same as mine – “Have faith in God.”

Bad Memory*

(c) 17th May 1992 – by Christopher Shennan)

“And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God [said he] hath made me forget all my toil, and all my Father’s house.” (Genesis 41:51 – AKJV)

God has made my memory fade

In terms of grief I’ve known;

So that the pain of ancient hurt

Won’t make me ever prone

To evil tides of bitterness

That seek some men alone

God has brought His present power

To overwhelm the past.

His present Peace; the soul’s increase

To strip away the mask

Behind which blessing hid—

But recognized at last

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Figure 20 from “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals.” Image by Guillaume Duchenne. Image is in the public domain.

Crutches – We all need them

Crutches – We all need them 

I can no longer remember how many times I have heard the taunt thrown at believers in Christ, “Your faith (or religion) is just a crutch.”

The implication of such a taunt is that Christians don’t have the courage to face life on their own, so they have to take refuge in religion to get through it. Only the weak need faith in God to bolster them up. On such half-truths these mockers sustain their imaginary independence of divine aid.

The truth is, sin has disabled all of us; we are all spiritual paraplegics.

The question I want to ask these detractors is: “What crutch are you using? If you are not leaning on Jesus Christ for support, what in the world are you leaning on? And don’t tell me you don’t need a crutch. It can be alcohol, drugs, sex, or something as inane a philosophy, a hobby, or a career.  It is the human condition that sin has brought us to. We all need something or someone to lean on to get us through life.

In truth, trusting in Jesus Christ is not exactly a crutch. He is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother; He is a Shepherd and guide; He is our sin-bearer and forgiver of transgressions; He is the Light to lighten our path, and the million other things to sustain us through this world and into the next.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 – NASB)

You can call Jesus our crutch, if you will, but he is much, much more!

Just Lean on Me!

(© Wednesday 11^th June, 2024 – by Christopher Shennan)

I thought I’d live life on my own

Without the sure help of Heaven;

I had the strength to make it through,

Though it never had been proven.

 

But soon my life went South on me,

And my troubles, they mounted up;

I ran into a dead-end street

And I thought I’d have to give up.

 

Just when I reached the end of my rope,

And a path I could no longer see,

The gentle voice of Jesus called,

“Why don’t you just lean on Me?”

 

I thought I would try other ways,

In a desperate bid for freedom.

I clung to vain philosophy,

But it drove me to my knees then.

 

So I called out in my anguish;

I was blind and I could not see.

Then straight away the answer came,

“Why don’t you just lean on Me?”

 

So, call this a crutch if you will;

I don’t much care if you still do,

But leaning on Jesus is always

The very best option for you.

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Withered Hands

Withered Hands

Reading: Mark 3:1-6 – NKJV)

 After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. (Mark 3:5 – NASB)

When Jesus saw the condition of the man with the withered hand, and no doubt perceived all he has suffered as a result, it stirred compassion in Him

The CONDITION the Man Struggled with

He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. (Mark 3:1 – NASB)

What were the difficulties that the man with the withered hand suffered?

Because of his withered hand there things he could not do, and duties he could not perform.

He probably had difficulty dressing himself.

Luke tells us that it was his right hand that was withered. If he was right handed, as most people are, or in performing detailed tasks that require accuracy he would have had difficulty doing some things his fellow workers could perform without any difficulty at all. There would be some occupations that would have been closed to him because of their physical requirements.

He would not have been able to lift heavy boxes and certain games he could not play.

I think there may be some among us who also have withered hands. Physically your hands are not withered, but spiritually there are things you may want to do, but find yourself unable to do. You may want to witness to friends and family, but find your spiritual gifts are withered. You can`t seem to get motivated, or get the words out of your mouth at the appropriate time. You may want to do a kindness to someone, but find yourself putting it off until it is too late.

You may have a gift of song or of speaking, but shyness or fear of what people may think has withered your ability to perform.

The Greek word translated `withered` indicates that his hand had been withered at some time in the past, perhaps by accident or disease. He had not been born with this affliction.  Perhaps you have been able to function well in some area of spiritual ministry, but that ability seems to have left you. The spiritual gift God gave you has been withered by disuse.

It is time for you to stretch out your hand so Jesus can restore it as it was before.