Christian Attitudes

Read the series.

“Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen; nobody knows my sorrow.” We all know the song—or at least that much of it—and we all know the feeling.

Oh, it’s true that the losses, disappointments, failures, and wrongs that tend to lead to bitterness are “common to man” (1 Cor. 10:13), but at the same time, each person’s experience is unique. Our hearts tell us no one understands or can understand.

From there, it’s a small step downward to the attitude that no one cares. Sometimes it may even be true.

Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. (ESV, Psalm 142:4)

Read the series so far.

Bitter attitudes hinder worship, strain relationships, and generally drain all the joy out of life. Apart from the initial pain of loss, mistreatment, disappointment or failure, bitterness does us no good.

Fortunately, Scripture and the wisdom of experience show us multiple ways to beat bitterness. Previously, we’ve considered how the attitudes of worship crowd out bitterness and how a quick escape from bitter thinking can keep it from pulling us in for a long ride.

A third approach is to confront the narrow focus and loss of perspective bitterness brings.

Read the series so far.

The humble, submissive, thankful attitudes of worship are what make any response to bitterness genuinely Christian. Honoring God with our attitudes is at the heart of why it’s worth the trouble to avoid prolonged bitterness.

But believers struggling with bitterness should also take advantage of practical wisdom. We need to be tactical as well as strategic. With that in mind, my aim here is to commend one practical response to bitterness, along with some caveats and cautions.

Simple though it is, this strategy has made a huge difference in my own life.

By Kim Kelly

Turn on your computer, and you will find all the help you need to become a completely self-focused person. You will see titles and headlines such as “Prioritize You! Here’s How to Focus on Yourself,” “How to Focus on Yourself More and Prioritize Your Own Needs,” “8 Easy to Build Healthy Self-Focus Habits,” “Small, But Powerful Steps to Love Yourself.”

By Anthony Wood. Read Part 1.

His Humility Will Protect Us

For those of us who serve in a leadership capacity, the world demands that we show strength. Who among us, in the flesh, has not been lured by more power? A larger church building? An organizational structure without checks and balances?

Deeper still, which among us has not been tempted to think that “he” is the reason for a church’s effectiveness? Business success? Money saved? Children well raised? How quickly our hearts turn from the truth as we erode into self-sufficiency.