Can a person’s own attitudes both create and reduce stress?

Unfortunately and fortunately, yes! Perhaps attitude is one of greatest potential personal strengths…but also one of our greatest weaknesses.

The inner workings of our attitudes are hidden, but they always produce visible overflow into our behavior, including our stress responses.

Unfortunately, bad attitudes can create stress.

Fortunately, good attitudes can reduce stress!

If you’re like me, you may feel that you often catch bad attitudes after it’s already too late. Is it ever really too late to turn to Jesus, though? No. Even if we’ve already “messed up”, we can bring Him into our situation!

He is our great high priest who interceeds for us, helps us, and counsels us.  He can help us whether we come to Him before, in the midst of, or after our mistakes. It’s never too late to invite Him into our mess. He can show us the way because He lived the perfect live with the perfect right attitude. All of our sinful attitudes and responses to life have been nailed to the cross.

Our first response upon seeing our bad attitude may be to strive for an attitude change, but let’s turn to Jesus first!

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” -Hebrews 4:14-16

Before striving, let’s admit our need, confess our sin, and ask for help. As we draw near to do that, we will receive mercy and grace to help us!

We often see bad attitudes in others, but not ourselves. We can pray for awareness if we don’t yet know what attitudes trigger sin and, ultimately, stress. I have been convicted in my heart by the Holy Spirit after praying to have more of an awareness of bad attitudes. Some of the attitudes I’ve been made aware of include criticism, pessimism, impatience, self-centeredness, and more.

What should we do if we see this behavior in ourselves?

Notice that our bad attitudes are anti-God. They turn us away from Jesus, His grace, and His kingdom (Graceland!) And they turn us toward ourselves, sin, and our own little kingdoms (Wasteland). They take the focus off of God, His goodness, and greatness. It makes sense that taking the focus off of God and onto ourselves will cause stress.

As we prayerfully invite Jesus into our bad attitudes and ensuing stress, we can also cooperate with Him by following what His Word calls us to.

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” -Colossians 3:12-17

Our motive should first and foremost be God’s glory, but God also knows what’s best for us and others. When we stop devouring ourselves and others with our bad attitudes and begin to feast upon contentment, forgiveness, thankfulness, love, compassion, kindness, humility, patience, and meekness; our bodies, minds, and hearts heal.

What if we do all of this and we still catch our bad attitudes “too late”? What if we find that we continue to have sinful attitudes?

We must take the long view instead of the short view. This is hard in our fast culture! We have to face the reality that walking with Christ is a walk that lasts a lifetime. Change and healing will take place over years not always days. Even the apostle Paul said that He LEARNED to be content, and that it happened by relying on God’s grace.

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” -Philippians 4:11-13

Our attitude is, perhaps, one of the most powerful and difficult things to control in our lives. As we realize our weaknesses, we can take joy in Christ’s strength and continue to cooperate while trusting that, over time, He will heal and transform us.

How do we cooperate? How do we feast upon the things of God instead of devouring ourselves and others with our bad attitudes? While our thoughts and attitudes are difficult to control and take time to change, we can quickly cooperate and take action by putting new thoughts and God’s Word into us. I like to think of it as playing offense by taking initiative versus playing defense and reacting.

I’ve found that the most helpful thoughts and verses have to do with thankfulness and contentment. These two things have an impact on almost any source of a bad attitude!

Here are a couple of verses that are helpful.

“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”     -Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)

-Philippians 4:11-13 (above)

I’d love to know what kinds of verses have helped you in an attitude crisis! Please share in the comments below!

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