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The Transformative Power of Attitude: A Journey from Wilderness to Promised Land
Ever found yourself stuck in a spiritual desert, wondering why life feels so barren despite your best efforts? James MacDonald's "Lord, Change My Attitude" might be the map you've been searching for. This revolutionary book has quietly transformed millions of lives since its publication, becoming a staple on the bookshelves of everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs to spiritual leaders like Rick Warren and John Piper. What makes it so powerful is its radical premise: your attitudes-not your circumstances-determine whether you experience wilderness living or promised land abundance.
MacDonald doesn't just theorize; he guides readers through a profound journey of self-examination, revealing how five specific negative attitudes keep us wandering in spiritual wastelands, while five corresponding positive attitudes lead us to places of fulfillment and joy. Drawing from Israel's wilderness journey in the book of Numbers, MacDonald presents a compelling case that God takes our attitudes far more seriously than we might imagine-so seriously that He once condemned an entire generation to die in the desert because of their murmuring spirits.
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The Desert of Complaining: Why God Takes Our Grumbling Seriously
Complaining might seem harmless, but it's actually a destructive choice that withers our capacity for joy. When the Israelites complained in the wilderness, God's response was severe-He sent fire upon them. This wasn't an overreaction; it demonstrated how seriously God takes our attitudes.
We often forget that attitudes are choices, not conditions imposed upon us. The Israelites chose complaining despite having countless reasons for gratitude-the miraculous deliverance from Egypt, manna from heaven, and God's visible presence in the pillar of cloud and fire. Yet they fixated on what they lacked rather than what they had.
Complaining isn't merely expressing dissatisfaction-it's expressing dissatisfaction with circumstances that aren't wrong and about which we're doing nothing to correct. It's not the same as addressing legitimate grievances constructively. When we complain, we're essentially questioning God's sovereignty and provision.
Consider how pervasive complaining has become in our culture. The internet hosts countless complaint forums-Iventing.com, The Complaint Station, Complain.org-all dedicated to helping people vent about anything and everything. Even Christians have their own complaint sites! This widespread habit reveals the spiritual poverty in today's church.
What makes complaining particularly offensive to God is when we grumble about adversity. Each of us has been entrusted with a precise measure of difficulty-just enough to accomplish God's eternal purposes in our lives. Your particular cross is unique, whether it's health problems, career struggles, family tragedy, or unfulfilled desires. By complaining about these God-measured difficulties, we forfeit the very grace that could help us through them.
When we choose complaining as our lifestyle, God's judgment doesn't necessarily consume our existence, but it scorches our happiness. It burns away everything fresh, healthy, and life-giving, turning our lives into spiritual wastelands. I once met a joyless Christian couple at a wedding who couldn't laugh at themselves or enjoy the celebration. Their complaint-filled attitude had clearly made their lives as barren as the desert.
The solution? We must acknowledge our complaining as sin, turn from it, and ask God's forgiveness through Christ. Then we must fill the void with something better-a thankful attitude that transforms our perspective and releases joy into our lives.
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The Oasis of Gratitude: Transforming Your Perspective Through Thankfulness
Thankfulness is the perfect replacement for complaining, releasing joy and blessing into our lives. When Jesus healed ten lepers, only one-a Samaritan-returned to give thanks. Christ noticed the nine ungrateful ones, asking rhetorically, "Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine-where are they?" To the thankful man, Jesus said, "Your faith has made you well"-indicating a deeper healing beyond the physical.
Faith grows in the soil of thankfulness. Only when we acknowledge God as the gracious provider of our blessings do we comprehend our need for Him and begin to express faith. As Romans 1 explains, mankind's rejection of God stems from an unwillingness to be thankful. Without gratitude, our hearts become darkened and our thinking futile.
Research demonstrates that thankfulness provides numerous benefits: reduced stress, lower blood pressure, faster recovery from surgery, healthier lifestyles, less depression, and even lower mortality rates. The evidence is clear-a God-centered, faith-oriented, thankful life is healthier and happier.
Genuine gratitude requires moving beyond obligation to deeply appreciating what we've received. Even if we never received another thing from God, we could fill each day with genuine thanks for life, breath, health, and strength. Instead, we often minimize blessings and magnify every negative circumstance.
Thankfulness develops through three levels: elementary school gratitude (the basic sacrifice of praise), high school gratitude (finding something to be thankful for in every situation), and graduate school gratitude (being thankful FOR all things, even difficulties). This highest level-trusting God enough to be grateful for challenges-brings a depth of joy previously unimaginable.
Psalm 107:8 reveals three specific points of victory over complaining. First, thankfulness is a decision-the psalm says "would give thanks" not "could give thanks." We have the capacity to express gratitude; it's a choice as real as choosing our diet or clothing. Second, thankfulness is a decision based in reality. Robinson Crusoe demonstrated this by creating a balanced accounting of his circumstances, listing both complaints and reasons for gratitude. Third, thankfulness is a life-changing decision that transforms our perspective. Gratitude literally "sets the altitude for living," elevating us from the low-altitude life of complaining to the high-altitude life where "the air is clean and the sun is shining."
To develop thankfulness, consider listing five things to be thankful for each day-creating 366 daily entries. This simple practice can transform your life by establishing gratitude as a habit that displaces complaining and leads to promised land living.
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The Quicksand of Covetousness: When Wanting More Becomes a Wasteland
Our society is drowning in materialism. Between 1974-1994, the percentage of Americans prioritizing money jumped from 38% to 63%. College freshmen linking prosperity to happiness increased from 41% in the late 1960s to 74% by mid-1990s, while those valuing a meaningful philosophy of life dropped from 83% to 41%.
Covetousness manifests in four ways: wanting wrong things (power, control, wealth for selfish purposes); wanting right things for wrong reasons (like desiring spiritual leadership for personal recognition); wanting right things at the wrong time (like a couple wanting physical intimacy before marriage); and wanting right things in wrong amounts (like earning more money than needed for family provision).
The events in Numbers 11:4-35 unfold like a three-act play, revealing why God hates covetousness. In Act I, the Israelites "yielded to intense craving," demonstrating how desire becomes sin through surrender. They fixated on idealized memories of Egyptian food while despising God's provision of manna, fundamentally rejecting God's sufficiency. At the root of covetousness is telling God "You're not enough." Our problem isn't that we don't want God; it's that we want God and something else-the perfect spouse, impressive career, lake house, or whatever else we fill in the blank with.
In Act II, God responded to Israel's meat craving with ominous tones: "You think meat is better than Me? You'll have it!" He promised them meat until it came out of their nostrils and became loathsome. This divine response illustrates a terrifying principle captured in Psalm 106:15: "He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul." With God, we can be satisfied with little; without Him, everything disappoints.
In Act III, God sent quail in overwhelming abundance-birds three feet deep around the camp for a day's journey in every direction. This abundance without refrigeration created chaos and waste, demonstrating how covetousness destroys our capacity to discern sufficiency. For the covetous, enough is never enough. Even billionaires like Ted Turner admit "everybody's greedy" as they compete to climb wealth rankings.
Those who choose covetousness will spend their lifetimes in the wilderness-a dry, dead, dusty, cheerless existence. Trying to have "God and..." leads to spiritual poverty, regardless of material wealth. The solution is repentance-admitting we've been living for things rather than for Him-and replacing covetousness with contentment.
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The Green Pastures of Contentment: Finding Rest in God's Sufficiency
Contentment brings lasting joy and leads us out of the wilderness of covetousness. It's a peaceful place where life isn't perfect but is restful-no rush, no pressure to buy or do things, just time for what matters. As Proverbs 30:8-9 says: "Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion."
First Timothy 6:6-10 teaches that godliness with contentment is great gain. Contentment means satisfaction with God's sufficient provision-resting in what one already has and seeking nothing more. It's saying "I have enough" without fear of the future or resentment of others. It's a settled sense of adequacy, like a breath of fresh air to someone suffocating or cold water to someone in a desert.
Contentment's partner is godliness. We must never be content with who we are, only with what we have. Godliness deals with who I am; contentment deals with what I possess. The desire for gain is God-given, but our depraved minds often cause us to desire wrongly. The winning formula is absolute: Godliness + contentment = great gain.
Many Christians try false equations: "Godliness + prosperity = great gain" (the false prosperity gospel); "Godliness + poverty = great gain" (an overreaction assuming poverty brings happiness); "Godliness + power or influence = great gain" (controlling everything around you); "Godliness + family harmony = great gain" (putting happiness in the perfect family basket); and "Godliness + ministry success = great gain" (thinking church growth equals contentment). These are all examples of "fuzzy spiritual math" that don't add up to true contentment.
To develop contentment, take three practical steps. First, look to eternity. As Paul wrote, "For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either." Whether you're Bill Gates or a seminary student, no one takes anything with them when they die. Second, let enough be enough. Paul states simply, "If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content." When we expect to be satisfied with the essentials, God often surprises us with treats. Third, learn from others who've already figured this out. John D. Rockefeller confessed, "I have made millions, but they have brought me no happiness." Henry Ford said he was happier as a poor boy in a mechanic's shop.
For those seeking contentment, make three key choices: Seek contentment as a lifestyle, acknowledging that more doesn't equal happier; say "I have enough" regularly, even when it feels counter-cultural; and settle on a comfortable lifestyle regardless of income increases, making biblically-based, eternally-focused choices. This approach saves pain and brings the joy of true contentment.
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The Thorns of Criticism: How Fault-Finding Destroys Relationships
Our outlook determines our outcome. Two people can experience the same circumstance differently based on their chosen attitudes and thinking patterns. The third wilderness attitude-criticism-is particularly destructive to relationships and spiritual growth.
Numbers 12 records how Miriam and Aaron, Moses' siblings and closest supporters, suddenly turned against him and began criticizing him regarding his Cushite wife-a painful betrayal from those he trusted most. Destructive criticism can be defined as "dwelling upon the perceived faults of another with no view to their good." The key issue is "dwelling upon" these faults rather than moving past them. Critical people habitually notice what's wrong rather than what's right in every situation.
Discussing someone's fault with a third party isn't necessarily wrong if the intention is genuinely to help the person. A good test: if you can conclude your conversation by praying for the person you're discussing, your motives are likely pure. Without this clarity of motive, you're probably gossiping rather than showing genuine concern.
Despite Miriam being a godly woman who helped Moses as a baby and wrote worship songs after crossing the Red Sea, she fell into criticism. Their surface complaint was about Moses' wife, but their real issue was jealousy over Moses' prominence: "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?" This demonstrates how even spiritual people can develop critical attitudes.
God's response was swift and severe. He summoned Aaron and Miriam to the tent of meeting, confronted them directly, and defended Moses' unique relationship with Him. God's anger burned against them, and Miriam was struck with leprosy. Only through Moses' humble intercession was she eventually healed after seven days of isolation.
Criticism produces three destructive consequences. First, it ruins fellowship with God-not destroying our relationship with Him but hindering our ability to sense His love and presence. Second, criticism hurts us personally-as Dr. David Fink discovered in his research comparing tense, troubled people with emotionally healthy ones, finding habitual criticism common in the first group and absent in the second. Third, criticism destroys fellowship with others-explaining why critical people often struggle to maintain friendships.
Criticism typically focuses on surface issues while hiding deeper heart problems like unforgiveness, envy/jealousy, and personal failure. It's self-exalting, as Oswald Chambers wrote: "Beware of anything that puts you in the place of the superior person." Criticism shifts focus from my faults and elevates me as the one who knows better.
Not every critic has a wicked heart. Many critical comments are words people wouldn't say if they thought twice. Our careless, thoughtless words can strike others like a slap in the face without us intending injury. Inadvertent criticism still damages people we genuinely care about.
As Oswald Chambers observed, "Whenever you are in a critical temper, it is impossible to enter into communion with God." Criticism makes us hard, vindictive, and cruel while giving us the flattering notion of superiority. The solution is addressing past offenses directly and replacing criticism with love.
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The Garden of Love: Building Others Up Instead of Tearing Down
The only attitude big enough to replace a critical attitude is an attitude of love. To replace criticism with love, we must understand biblical love as described in 1 Corinthians 13. When we bring truth without love, we become like noisy gongs or clanging cymbals-irritating rather than helpful. Even with great communication skills, knowledge, or faith, without love our message falls flat.
The Greek word agape used in 1 Corinthians 13 refers to selfless, giving, you-before-me love-a choice we make rather than just a feeling. This differs from common notions of love that are often self-centered, focused on how others make us feel rather than genuine commitment to others' needs.
Paul makes a surprising point: even extreme sacrifices-giving all possessions to the poor or surrendering one's body to be burned-profit nothing without love. These actions alone don't constitute biblical love, which requires both truth and genuine affection together.
The church often suffers from imbalance-either emphasizing truth without love (legalistic fundamentalism) or love without truth (liberal Christianity). Neither approach reflects Jesus. Biblical love isn't about balancing truth and love as separate things; truth is part of love. Without truth, expressions of love are crippled.
Love cannot rejoice in unrighteousness but must rejoice with truth. When issues are serious, love doesn't sit passively by but takes action, especially when sin is involved. Three guidelines determine when love requires action: 1) Critical path-when failure to act will produce major fallout; 2) Chronic problems-repeated patterns, even small ones; 3) Proximity-closer relationships imply greater responsibility to address issues.
Of a hundred potential confrontation issues, only about three are truly major. The other ninety-seven are minors-irritations that bother us because of our own pride. On minor issues-practice acceptance. These include personal preferences, personality differences, and non-critical sin issues. Christ-followers should be the most accepting, non-critical people on earth. Most relationship breakdowns happen over minor differences, not major issues.
Abraham Lincoln exemplified patient love when his political enemy Edwin Stanton called him a "low cunning clown" and "the original gorilla." Lincoln never retaliated or criticized. Instead, when elected president, he appointed Stanton as secretary of war because "he is the best man." Years later, Stanton looked at Lincoln's coffin and said through tears, "There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen." Lincoln's patient, non-retaliatory spirit eventually broke Stanton's animosity.
Love "bears all things, believes all things." It defends others against misunderstanding and assumes the best about people's motives. Love "hopes all things," seeing people not as they are but as they will become through God's grace. Love "endures all things," standing its ground in commitment regardless of circumstances.
The promise that "love will never fail" has profound implications. It means that embracing what it truly means to love another person will always accomplish God's highest purposes. Even when relationships are difficult, if you pursue love wholeheartedly and embrace people as they are-warts and all-God will use that. Love never fails at work, at home, or in church.
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The Shifting Sands of Doubt: When Uncertainty Becomes a Lifestyle
Doubt is the absence of faith-a lack of confidence that God will keep His promises. Unlike Thomas's "show me" attitude that sought answers, doubt involves a settled, persistent choice to live with uncertainty. This destructive attitude undermines any relationship with God.
God places regular tests of faith before His children not for failure but success. For the Israelites, the Promised Land wasn't vacant-taking it required trusting God through conflict. God's first plan was for them to march in and take the land, but their lack of faith paralyzed them. Rather than abandoning them, God provided another opportunity through sending spies-another chance to choose faith over doubt.
Life often comes down to this fundamental choice. Doubt is an attitude, and faith is an attitude-patterns of thinking formed over time. Even Christians who trust God for salvation may continue practicing doubt in daily life, failing to embrace God's promises as fuel for victory.
Faith isn't merely one component of Christian life-it's everything! It's not something to add to your spiritual arsenal; faith is the gun that fires the bullet. When life's challenges bump us-work reversals, bad medical news, dark clouds gathering-what spills out reveals what we're full of. If we're filled with faith, faith comes out. If we're filled with doubt, doubt comes out. These tests don't just reveal our faith but refine it.
The twelve spies sent to Canaan all saw the same land, but God wanted to see how they would perceive it-through eyes of faith or doubt. Moses reminded them how tenderly God had carried them "just as a man carries his son," yet they still didn't trust Him. Life's challenges either stretch our faith or shrink it.
When the twelve spies returned from Canaan, they brought back incredible fruit but ten focused on obstacles: "Nevertheless, the people are strong, cities fortified..." Only Caleb and Joshua, filled with faith, saw opportunity: "We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it." The problem wasn't giants or cities but their attitude-lack of confidence that God would keep His promises.
When surrounded by doubters, doubting comes easily. The Israelites should have been celebrating their imminent possession of the Promised Land, remembering God's faithfulness through plagues, the Red Sea, and Mount Sinai. Instead, doubt spread like a contagion through the entire congregation.
Doubt is particularly dangerous because it's contagious, passive (requiring no effort), satisfies our tendency toward self-protection, and because doubters are easier to find than friends of faith. Christians need relationships with people of faith who speak God's Word into their lives.
Doubt never stands still but always slides toward something worse. The journey from doubt to despair is short-sometimes just hours, as demonstrated by the Israelites. They quickly moved from doubt to desperate plans, saying, "Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt." Their thinking was completely irrational: contrary to their experiences of God's provision, ignoring practical problems like manna supply on the return journey, and forgetting they had drowned Pharaoh's army.
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The Rock of Faith: Building Confidence in God's Promises
Having explored the dangers of doubt, we now turn to developing the Promised Land attitude of faith. Only when faith replaces doubt can the joy of knowing God become reality. Attitudes form over time through moment-by-moment decisions, and faith is no exception.
Faith is not head-in-the-sand denial, anti-intellectualism, stained-glass escapism, motivational seminars, or mere positive thinking. Rather, faith is rooted in a God who is real-the creator of the universe who loves us. Everyone has the capacity to trust, but what makes the difference is placing our deepest confidence in a sovereign God rather than in circumstances or our own abilities.
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." These key words-substance and evidence-comprise the prescription of faith. Faith is like a receipt for an ordered product; it's what we hold onto while waiting for God's answer. Just as past shopping experiences give us confidence a package will arrive, our past experiences with God's faithfulness provide evidence for future trust.
Faith is believing the Word of God and acting upon it, no matter how I feel, because God promises a good result. True believing isn't shallow hope but complete commitment-"all eggs in that basket" with no escape route. Faith is specifically rooted in God's Word, not newspapers, television, or others' opinions. Since God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), everything He says is trustworthy. But genuine faith always manifests in action; it's not just intellectual assent but transforms how we live.
Hebrews 11 offers a magnificent landscape of faith, featuring the "redwoods of faith"-giants of the Old Testament whose lives illustrate faith's prominence. Throughout Scripture, especially in Matthew's Gospel, we see faith as the conduit through which God's blessings flow, whether in healing, provision, forgiveness, or deliverance.
Faith isn't merely a part of the Christian life-it's the whole thing. It's not like patience or kindness or other character traits. When I'm trusting God and exercising active confidence in Him, I'm moving forward spiritually. When I'm not, I'm losing ground and falling away from Him.
Hebrews 11:39-40 reveals faith's power: "All these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised because God had provided something better for us." Old Testament believers looked forward to something by faith; we look back to Christ's established work. 1 John 5:4 declares, "This is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith."
Faith grows through God's Word. Romans 10:17 states, "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." If we measured your faith temperature, it would rise in direct proportion to time spent in Scripture. There's spiritual power in publicly confessing faith-both in church and to the world. When we share our faith with others, saying "Christ means so much to me" or "I'm trusting the Lord in this situation," our own faith grows.
We should live in such a way that if God isn't who He claims to be, we'll fall flat. Under the Holy Spirit's leadership-not testing God-look for opportunities to trust Him completely. To grow faith, corner it-live it out in life's hard challenges, allowing God to lead you into situations where He is your only way out.
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The Wilderness of Rebellion: Resisting God's Appointed Authorities
Rebellion against proper authority reveals a deeper rejection of God's authority, bringing devastating consequences. Rebellion means knowing what God wants but refusing to do it-a serious sin that God compares to witchcraft. Every human heart contains this tendency, from Eden to today's children who instinctively resist authority.
The Israelites' rebellion turned a short 300-mile journey into 40 years of wandering. God takes rebellion seriously-it's compared to witchcraft in Scripture. When we choose to rebel against authorities God has established, we're making a grave choice with serious consequences.
Numbers 16 shows how rebellion exists in all hearts. Korah's rebellion wasn't led by outcasts but by respected leaders-Levites responsible for tabernacle worship and 250 prominent men. Rebellion isn't ignorance or discouragement, but deliberately refusing to do what we know is right-a choice and pattern of thinking that leads to wilderness living.
Korah, a Levite with significant responsibilities in tabernacle worship, joined with Dathan and Abiram of the tribe of Reuben to lead a revolt against Moses and Aaron. They gathered 250 respected leaders from across the tribes-strange allies united only by their desire to rebel. When God's judgment came, the ground opened and swallowed the rebels, while others were consumed by divine fire. Despite witnessing this, the people continued complaining against Moses, resulting in a plague that killed over 15,000.
God has established multiple authorities: human government, church leadership, husbands as family leaders, parents over children, bosses at work, and the justice system. Rebelling against these God-ordained authorities is serious, as they've been established by God for specific purposes.
Rebellion dates back to Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God's single restriction. Proverbs notes that "foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child"-this rebellious tendency is innate, not learned. Even young children naturally resist authority, as illustrated by the author's nephews who admitted they wished their father wasn't "the boss."
Korah's rebellion stemmed from six distinct sources that still fuel rebellion today: jealousy, delusions of grandeur, ungratefulness, stubbornness, disappointment, and distrust. When people rebel, they face the consequence of leadership withdrawal. Those in authority will eventually pull back from those who are continuously difficult to lead, leaving them unprotected. Authority functions like an umbrella of protection against many harmful things in life.
The second terrible consequence of rebellion is that innocent people get injured. When Korah led his rebellion against Moses, he couldn't protect those who followed him. The ground opened up and swallowed not just the rebellious leaders but also their families. Though Korah's own children were spared, many innocent people suffered because of his rebellion.
The third consequence of rebellion is divine judgment. Moses declared that God would confirm his leadership through supernatural judgment-if the ground opened and swallowed the rebels alive into Sheol, it would prove they had "spurned the Lord." When Moses finished speaking, the ground split open, swallowing Korah, his followers, their households and possessions.
The fourth consequence of rebellion is that it spreads like an infection. Like spiritual AIDS, rebellion spreads rapidly and infects many people. Remarkably, the very next day after witnessing God's judgment, the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for the deaths. Rebellion is ultimately against God Himself-when God puts someone in authority, rejecting that authority means rejecting God.
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The Freedom of Submission: Finding Protection Under God's Authority
Submission replaces the pain of rebellion and increases human happiness, though it faces resistance because we're natural-born rebels and because the concept has been hijacked by selfish authoritarians. The author encourages readers to approach the topic with an open mind to discover the treasure within this biblical principle.
Submission is primarily a duty to God, not just to human authorities. The term "submit" is a military concept meaning "to place yourself in order under established authority." Importantly, submission is a personal choice made from the bottom up, not forced from the top down. We submit "for the Lord's sake" to various authorities: government, employers, and in family relationships.
The challenge is that we see imperfect human authorities rather than the Lord, and we use their imperfections to justify our rebellion. However, when we refuse to submit to human authority, we're actually refusing to submit to God.
God designed authority structures to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do right. When we choose submission, we place ourselves under God's protection like an umbrella. Regardless of circumstances-whether facing injustice, being passed over for promotion, or experiencing relational injury-the response should be to "do right and silence the ignorance of foolish men." This approach allows God to protect and vindicate us.
Choosing submission over rebellion affects every part of life, creating a contrast between protection and danger, humility and pride, love and selfishness. As 1 Peter 5:5-7 teaches, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Prideful resistance against authority is ultimately resistance against God Himself, who will oppose such rebellion.
Submission is not slavery. The Bible clarifies that Christians should "act as free men" (1 Peter 2:16). We are slaves only to Christ, not to human authorities. When determining appropriate limits to submission, three factors matter: the source (tolerating more from a spouse than an employer), the severity (passive neglect versus active aggression), and the frequency of mistreatment. While some injustice can be endured, Christians aren't called to remain in destructive situations.
When authority structures fail, Christians should appeal to higher authorities. If problems occur in the home, church leadership should be consulted. The church exists partly to help when family authority structures break down. For issues outside the home, Christians can appropriately use legal systems God has established.
God loves heartfelt, willing humility. When He sees believers bearing up under injustice with submissive spirits, He blesses them. As 1 Peter 2:18-20 teaches, submission finds favor with God, especially when we patiently endure suffering while doing what is right. This submission-based worship deeply pleases God and invites His presence.
Submission creates a unique fellowship with Christ through suffering. Following 1 Peter 2:21, we're called to follow Christ's example of suffering without retaliation. When reviled, Christ "did not revile in return" but kept entrusting Himself to God. Embracing suffering through submission allows God to pour favor into our lives. This intimate connection with God through submission becomes possible when we follow Christ's steps of suffering and entrust ourselves to the One who judges righteously.
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From Wilderness to Promised Land: The Urgency of Attitude Transformation
Life presents enough injustice to keep us in the wilderness if we choose complaining attitudes, but also offers plenty of opportunities for thankfulness and submission that bring God's blessing. While we often can't control our circumstances, we can always control our attitudes-sometimes it's the only thing we can control.
Our attitudes matter to God for three key reasons: First, attitudes reveal our true selves-"The things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart." God wants heart transformation, not just external behavior. Second, attitudes predict our future-"As a person thinks in his heart, so is he." We become what we consistently think about. Third, attitudes are primarily vertical-directed toward God Himself, which is why He takes them so seriously.
Without specific repentance about our attitudes, we've wasted our time reading this book. Every good step with God begins with humility-admitting "I'm wrong; You're right." We must specifically confront our wrong attitudes: "That's why I've been so troubled! It's my attitude, Lord!"
Just as the Israelites had to say "We have sinned" before Moses would intercede, we must be specific with God. Though God answered their prayer, He didn't remove the serpents-He provided healing through looking at the bronze serpent. God rarely removes the hard things that bring us to our knees because "no serpents = no sense of need." Instead, He gives us daily grace to endure while keeping us dependent on Him.
Some Israelites understood God's simple remedy-look at the bronze serpent and be healed-yet refused to look. They rejected healing for three possible reasons: denying their need for help ("I can heal myself"), denying God's goodness ("Maybe it's a trick"), or denying the problem entirely ("I'm not really sick"). Just like today, many deny their true need for divine intervention.
We should act now on God's call to change, as we may not always be as open to His Word as we are in this moment. In John 3:14-16, Jesus identified the bronze serpent as a picture of Himself, telling Nicodemus that just as the Israelites looked to the serpent for healing, we must look to Christ for eternal life.
This isn't about trying harder to have a good attitude-Christ is the answer! Resolutions to be more thankful or loving will fail without allowing Christ to live through us. "Christ in you is the hope of glory" and "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." A personal, intimate daily walk with Christ is the only fuel for spiritual victory.
For those who haven't made a commitment to Christ, the path is simple but profound: accept you're a sinner deserving God's judgment, believe Jesus died to pay for your sins, and confess Him as Lord and Savior. For Christians struggling with attitudes, acknowledge your inability to change yourself and invite Christ's Spirit to give you strength to put off sinful attitudes and put on righteous ones in their place.
The journey from wilderness to promised land isn't about perfect circumstances but perfect attitudes-attitudes that please God and open the floodgates of His blessing in your life. The choice is yours: will you continue wandering in the desert of negative attitudes, or will you step into the promised land of joy, peace, and spiritual abundance? The time to change is now-before it's too late.
