Shaping Attitudes

A friend sends me In Touch devotionals on a regular basis. Today’s had the following:

“Staying young while growing old begins with your mind. Never stop listening to the Lord and learning from His Word. Allow godly thinking to shape your attitudes. Be thankful, keep laughing, and rejoice in your Lord.”

As I read it – and agreed with it!!! – I realized that I also live it. I am growing old. That’s not a bad thing, for I’ve become a Titus 2 aged woman. There were times in my life where I stopped listening to our Lord. What a stagnant, over-busy time that was.

When I returned to listening, and learning from His word, things changed in my life. Others in our family listened and learned, too. Not from me, but from many others adept at godly thinking. As individuals, we changed; as a family we changed dynamically.

The Bible has much to say about godly thinking:

But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. (Psalms 4:3 KJV)

For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. (Psalms 32:6 KJV)

Along with godly thinking comes rejoicing:

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. (2 Corinthians 1:12 KJV)

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. (2 Corinthians 7:9 KJV)

We are thankful that:

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, (2 Peter 2:9a KJV)

There’s always His word to remind us how to live:

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; (Romans 12:12 KJV)

Paul was clear as to where our thoughts should be:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8 KJV)

As Christ ended His example of the Good Samaritan, so I end this example of godly attitudes:

Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. (Luke 10:37 KJV)