From the archives,



Seven Fresh Attitudes

I'd like to condense and share a list I found in Phillip Keller's little book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.

"Jesus never made light of the cost involved in following Him. In fact He made it painfully clear that it was a rugged life of rigid self-denial. It entailed a whole new set of attitudes. It was not the natural, normal way a person would ordinarily live and this is what made the price so prohibitive to most people."

1. Instead of loving myself most I am willing to love Christ best and others more than myself.

2. Instead of being one of the crowd I am willing to be singled out, set apart from the gang.

3. Instead of insisting on my rights I am willing to forego them in favor of others.

4. Instead of being "boss" I am willing to be at the bottom of the heap.

5. Instead of finding fault with life and always asking "Why?" I am willing to accept every circumstance of life in an attitude of gratitude.

6. Instead of exercising and asserting my will, I learn to cooperate with His wishes and comply with His will.

7. Instead of choosing my own way I am willing to choose to follow in Christ's way:simply to do what He asks me to do.

"God wants us all to move on with Him. He wants us to walk with Him. He wants it not only for our welfare but for the benefit of others as well as His own dear reputation."



Yes, Seven fresh attitudes, but also seven super hard things to do.

Just one of them takes years of concentrated effort!

Dying to self is a slow and painful process.

You won't find any help for this process outside of your own own soul.

It really is just between you and God.

What you are ready to let go of for His sake; and ultimately your sake, is up to you and your heart and well, the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will bring to mind what attitudes we need to change.

His timing is perfect.

I wasn't ready for this kind of "talk" until I was nearing forty years old.
(We can thank Elisabeth Elliot for bringing it up :o)


Now I understand. Now I am ready to look at that list with joy.

It's a great list. When you are ready.


Encourage one another,
Donna