Someone has said, “It’s not what happens to you in life, but how you react to what happens to you that makes the difference.”  We do have a choice.  I have heard this quote often, “Two prisoners looked out the window through bars.  One saw mud, the other saw stars.”  The latter had a good attitude.  Attitude determines success in life. 

No forgiveness makes it hard to keep away cynicism and bitterness.  If someone does me wrong and I am not forgiving I am making myself a slave to the person I have not forgiven.  The offender may not even know how I feel.  I can avoid the person or I can overlook the offense.  The latter will give me peace and I will have been obedient to Luke 6:42:..”Take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly the speak from your brother’s eye.”  (NIV)  Unforgiving is very unhealthy.  A recent TV show had a clip on forgiveness and how it improves one’s state of health.  Carrying a grudge around erodes happiness but “A happy face means a glad heart; a sad face means a breaking heart” (Proverbs 15:13 (TLB). 

            Misery accompanies the person with a bad attitude.  Nothing is ever right.  Everything is always wrong, making happiness unattainable.  I must guard my speech by not hurting someone else with my tongue and I must look for the good.  Last winter a friend had a bad case of the flu.  She said, “I’m surely glad I had the flu shot.  Look how sick I would have been without it!”  Now that is looking for the good.

            I might add that all the money in this world cannot buy peace, health or lasting happiness.  One might wish to trade places with the wealthy one but not all the problems that come with it.  Yet when it’s all over it’s a right attitude that wins.  “The world and its desires pass away but the man who does the will of God lives forever”  (1 John 2:17 NIV).

            So how do we keep the right attitude?  Keep a bag full of smiles.  I have yet to find the one who doesn’t smile back at me if I smile first.

            Keep the faith.  “The just shall live by faith.”  (Galatians 3:11)

            Find something beautiful in every day and be thankful.

            Be cheerful.  No one likes to be around someone who is always complaining.

            Find someone who needs your help to ease his or her burden.

            Let love be the guiding light in your lives.

            Jesus sees you as a person of great worth.  He sees in you a person of great capacity, deep resources and capabilities.  He sees love in you, compassion in you and caring in you.  He sees in you a potential for greatness and promise.  You are valuable to him.  Jesus and you are a majority.  Nothing shall be impossible for you.  Jesus loves you and he sees the best in you! 

            Should we not shout for joy and sing praises?  Declare the glory of the Lord.  Nothing can defeat you.  You are a winner!

            With Jesus you have peace, refuge, triumph, strength, restoration, encouragement, mercy, grace, forgiveness, life, victory, delight, hope, gladness, love, righteousness, wholeness, stability, abundance, deliverance, honor, rest, courage, bravery and comfort.

Should I say more?

            Let’s have a good attitude.  We have everything to be happy about.  Living life with gusto brings many happy moments.  Yes, we have trials in life but does a bad mood

help anything?  Does it help to have the “what if this or that happens?”  Looking and worrying about the bad things that might happen is unproductive and robs us of life.

            Have a right attitude and be happy today!