If you want things to be different in your life, the number one thing you need you need to change is not your job, circumstances, relationships, or income. It’s you that needs to change.
You must first change your attitude. Our attitude in life is can be determined by the collection of our dominant thoughts in our minds.
Philippians 2 centers on themes of humility, unity, and sets us an example of Jesus’ selfless sacrifice. This is the right attitude to strive for to get the right attitude in life.
In the 1990s there was themed items like necklaces or bracelets or shirts that had “WWJD” – What Would Jesus Do. The help people remember to make better choices.
That’s the kind of thing we can use every day to have the right attitude in life. The great news is we can read the Bible for the wisdom to live a good life, by having the right attitude before God.
It’s important to understand the right attitude will never manifest around us until we establish it within us.
Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us, “that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” No one else can bring change in your life, you determine your attitude and the kind of day you will have.
There’s a quote that is attributed to Albert Einstein that says, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
A right attitude is having the perspective that reflects the teachings and examples of Jesus. This requires a combination of faith, humility, and positivity, when we face challenges.
There are specific ways God answers prayer. I think knowing and understanding a few things is clear.
More often than not when we ask for wisdom God gives us problems to solve. If we ask for courage we get dangers to overcome. Asking for love God gives us troubled people to help. Over the years this is how God has answered my prayers.
Romans 5-3-5 tells to rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that in our sufferings it will produce endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope and hope doesn’t put us to shame.
God cares about our character and His purpose is to shape us from one degree of glory to the next. Challenging events and difficult relationships may be part of this shaping in our lives.
While God may send every challenge and difficulty, we usually do this on our own. But God can definitely use them for good.
Every challenge or difficulty I encounter I see that I have brought them on myself. My life can be described in one sentence… “Well, that didn’t go as planned.” But God always has a way of making it turn out for good in the end.
When our perspective changes we begin to see difficulties, problems, dangers, and troubles as opportunities to become strong, wise, courageous, and loving.
Instead of having the perspective of I asked for wisdom and I received problems. I asked for courage and received danger or asking for love. A simple change in perspective can change from I asked for wisdom to handle my problems, and God gave me wisdom because He loves me.
In a broken world, problems will occur, danger will lurk, but God gives us wisdom and courage when we ask.
My city would be named “Shalom” it would mirror the Kingdom of God on earth.
It would be a city where justice and mercy kiss. Where people walk around humbled by as they are see and feel the presence of God. To enter you must have a solid foundation where God is your Rock. It’s what this city would be founded on.
In the would be a center there would be a peaceful garden with a river flowing through with a waterfall. And a lot of green trees.
There would be a large place to worship God 24/7.
There would be community farms with willful people always caring for it. Along with Agricultural learning centers.
All businesses will be mom and pop based, no conglomerate stores.
The schools would be a place of learning Basic Math, English, Science, History. Shop, Home Economics and Moral Philosophy class would be required.
The welcoming gates into the city would be mercy, Truth – God’s truth, Justice and Peace.
It would be a city of love, peace, and joy. A place where people could come to find peace and happiness and escape the chaos of the world without being alone. A place of serenity and hope.
I’ve been thinking about something I heard a few years ago and how it fits with what is happening in the world today, called Bread and Circuses. I thought I would share and you can decide for yourself.
In ancient Rome, there was the concept of something called “bread and circuses” It was coined by a poet named Juvenal. It referred to the strategy of appeasing the population by providing free grain (bread) and grand entertainment like circuses, gladiator games, and chariot races. The idea was that as long as people were fed and entertained they would be less likely to question authority or become politically active.
In the late Roman Empire, political leaders provided free grain and lavish entertainment to keep people content.
The idea was never about generosity, it was political. It diverted attention from corruption, inequality, and loss of freedoms.
Junvenal said, “The people longed eagerly for just two things bread and circuses.”
The purpose of this was to distract the masses from political engagement. To keep the population pacified and dependent. And to control public opinion and reduce unrest.
Political analysts use this analogy when governments prioritize distractions over solving issues.
In Ancient Rome, the push toward synthetic or controlled food might represent a shift in power, where people become reliant on tightly regulated systems.
The bottom line is that what’s going on in America isn’t just conspiracy talk, but a real historical analogy that’s been used by philosophers, political scientists, and historians.
Free food and distractions equal political control.
Strong men eat meat, not lab-grown meat or vegan diets.
Meat reduction and control.
Governments and NGOs worldwide are encouraging lower meat consumption, citing environmental, ethical, and health concerns.
Industrial livestock farming is a major source of greenhouse gases, deforestation, and water consumption.
Solutions are being pushed to include plant-based alternatives, insect protein, and lab-grown growth meat.
All of these factors lead me to believe there is something cynical going on.
But, these are just my thoughts on the subject. As I have watched what has taken place since covid it seems pretty cut and dry to me.
When God humbles us it often involves difficult circumstances or trials that tell us about our limitations and dependence on Him.
A few weeks ago my husband came home and gave me news that his boss had unexpectedly passed away. He went to work, went to help his son on his farm was not feeling well, drove home, and collapsed in his driveway. It was heartbreaking and my husband had worked for him for nearly 25 years.
We suddenly had no idea about our future. We had to wonder what would be done with the place where he was working. Whether his sons would keep the business open or liquidate it.
It was a wake up call for sure. We just got too comfortable thinking he would work there until he retired. Things can change so fast, one day someone you never expected to pass away is no longer there, jobs or careers can be lost. Everything can change in a blink of an eye.
God can humble us to foster humility and spiritual growth which can lead us into a deeper relationship with Him. I often wonder how people deal with these situations if they have no faith or hope in God.
When God humbles us it isn’t self-deprecation or low self-esteem it’s a realistic understanding of our place before Him.
It’s about recognizing our dependence on God’s grace and acknowledging that good things come from Him. Humility positions us to receive grace.
God humbles us in situations like illness, loss, and conflict to reveal pride and our dependence on ourselves.
God’s humbling is sometimes seen in His kindness and blessing which reveals our unworthiness and leads us to gratitude.
Humility is ultimately a gift from God. He takes the initiative to humble us and draw us closer to Him.
There are responses we should keep in mind when God humbles us.
Receive it with grace:
I was obviously upset when I heard of my boss’s passing away. I was in shock. I freaked out about it and wondered why. But in the long run, I accepted that God is in control, and I needed to trust God because of His faithfulness.
Repent:
Make sure you are right with God, if necessary take communion in your home and ask for forgiveness. Acknowledge areas where you need and change and turn back.
Seek God’s guidance:
Ask God to help you understand His purpose in the situation and grow from it.
Trust God’s timing:
Remember that God’s timing is perfect, and He will advance you at the right moment.
I am motivated by meaning and purpose I value depth over surface level engagement.
I am a curious person, I am motivated by learning, exploring ideas and understanding how things work.
I also enjoy helping people, when these two things come together it allows me make a meaningful impact in life not just surface level fixes.
Solving problems that matter, and guiding others calms me down in a non-showy way. I don’t need recognition. I’ve always had an issue with any attention being focused on me. I would rather be on the sidelines helping things run smoothly than being up front and taking credit for anything.
I get motivated when my deep learning gets shared or applied to real people’s lives.
I also liked “The Chosen but it’s a series. The way these are portrayed the Bible was amazing. I can’t watch this series without feeling close to Jesus.
No matter how many college degrees or what kind of education we have received, there are some things that only life can teach us. Lessons from the “school of life.”
Friedrich Nietzsche said, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”
The meaning of purpose:
We may graduate with honors and choose a great career, but it can still make us feel unfulfilled. We need to learn the importance of finding meaning and purpose in our lives that go beyond the realm of a career and a good education.
How to be independent:
We need to learn how to be independent. To find ourselves, we must learn to think for ourselves.
We have to learn how to stand on our own two feet. We can’t rely on others to guide us forever. Until we take responsibility for ourselves because the world is against us, and we have to be prepared for it. No one is better equipped to answer your own questions but you.
We can’t control time:
We can’t control time. Life has a way of teaching us that we won’t always get what we want right away. No matter how well our management skills are, or hoe good we are at predicting the future. If it’s not our time, we can do nothing about it.
Moving on from failure:
Moving on from failure. We all fail in life, we must remember that success is not final, and failure isn’t fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.
When we were in school and failed a class, it was easy to make up for it or study harder for the next one. But in life failure can scar us or even change our perspective on the meaning of life. Life definitely teaches us the failing part of it, and that success can only come after many failures. We learn how to move on from failure and accept it as part of our journey.
How to be patient:
Aristotle said, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”
While we can’t control time, we can learn that we must be patient enough to wait for what we want. Life doesn’t have a specific timeline set for us, but we can be patient and have faith that the things we want will come when we are ready for them rather than when we want them.
Life is difficult:
Once we truly know that life is difficult and accept it we can expect difficulties. Life gets harder more our responsibilities grow. We have learn how to roll with the punches, to survive and it’s not always smooth sailing.
We scatter our hearts in the wrong places:
We can pick the wrong careers, or the wrong partners who are not always kind to our hearts. We may not understand why we wasted our deepest emotions on something that brought us misery but life tends to let us know the reason eventually.
We have a choice:
Cassandra Clare put it this way, “In the end that was the choice you made, and it doesn’t matter how hard it was to make it. It matters that you did.”
Many things in life are out of our control, but we still have a choice. I had a counselor explain it this way:
There are fundamental approaches to navigating choices in life. The different levels of engagement with any situation, allow for proactive decision making and personal growth
Change it
This involves actively modifying the situation to align with your needs.
2. Accept it
Sometimes a situation is beyond your control or it is not worth the effort to change. Acceptance involves acknowledging the reality of the situation without resistance and finding ways to make peace with it.
3. Leave it
If a situation is truly detrimental or unchangeable and you cannot accept it, leaving it may be the best course of action. This means removing yourself from the situation, ending a relationship, or changing your priorities.
By consciously choosing how to respond to a situation, we can respond to any situation, and we can take control of our lives and create a more fulfilling life.
Accept that we all need help sometimes:
This is a hard one for me still today. The way I was raised, taught me, I could only depend on myself. No one would ever have my back. One time a drove to an emergency room hospital 70 miles away, because I thought I could never depend on anyone. When I arrived the doctor told me, I could have easily died on the way. He couldn’t believef I was lying in a hospital bed speaking to him. I should be unconscious. All I could say was that God was watching over me.
No matter how independent we are, we all need some sort of help along the way. We are not immune to disappointment, heartbreak, or danger. Sometimes we don’t have the strength to pick ourselves up. Life teaches us that we can’t make it alone even if we try.
Everything is temporary:
Everything in life is temporary. So if things are good, enjoy it because it won’t last forever. And if everything is going badly, don’t worry, it won’t last forever either.
Pain is temporary, feelings are temporary, even the world is temporary, which is why we have to make the best out of this temporary time and try not to give power to temporary emotions that tend to ruin our lives.
Never get attached to plans:
Woody Allen said once that, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him about your plans.”
It’s good to have a blueprint of how we want our lives to look 5 or 10 years down the road, but don’t get too attached to it, because plans change. Life teaches us we need a plan B, C, and D.
We have to face our fears:
Eventually, we all have to face our fears. We may be afraid of our fears, but they are not afraid of us.
Life teaches us that at some point we will come face to face with something that terrifies us. Losing someone we live with, losing a job, and moving away. We can’t escape fear so we have to learn how to face it and walk with it.
We have to love ourselves for who we are:
If we put a small value on ourselves, rest assured that the world will not raise our price.
If we want to make our lives a little easier we have to love ourselves for who we are. Not in a narcissistic way, but in a compassionate way. We have to learn to forgive ourselves for our mistakes and failures. We have to believe in ourselves and walk away from people who don’t value us.
Learning life lessons involves understanding personal growth, resilience, and the value of experience. The more you make conscious choices that align with your values the more you can create a life you desire.
Writing helps me put my overthinking down on paper.
There’s a problem with being an overthinker. silence speaks to me. I hear the judgement in it. The disinterest, or nothing at all but somehow it is still something.
I over analyze everything. I have since I was young. So I write not to silence the noise but to give it a voice.
I wish I could be one of those people who just live. Say what they feel and move on. People think I’m chill and quiet but on the inside I constantly rewrite things, and constantly second- guessing everything.
I know this is how God made me. Because overthinking is often tied to strengths like deep empathy, that creates creativity foresight, and intelligence.
I write not to silence the noise but to give it a voice.
The journey from Egypt to the Promised Land should have taken only 11 days. But for the Israelites it took 40 years. This wasn’t because of distance -it was because of disobedience, fear, and lack of faith in God’s promises.
The Bible tells us that the journey from Mount Sinai (Horeb) to Kadesh-barnea should have taken only 11 days.
“It is eleven days journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir unto Kadesh-Barnea” -Deuteronomy 1:2
Kadesh-Barnea was the edge of the Promised Land it was the spot where the Israelites first stood ready to enter Canaan. But they didn’t go in.
What took so long?
The 40 year delay was not due to geography. It was because the people didn’t trust God. They sent spies to check the land. Ten of the twelve spies came back afraid. They said the people of the land were too strong.
Instead of bleeding, God‘s promises, the people panicked. They refused to go forward. This rebellion caused God to judge them.
In Numbers 14:34 God is speaking to the Israelites addressing their grumbling and disbelief, “After the number of the days in which you spied out the land, even forty days, for every day a year, you will bear your iniquities, even forty years, and you will know my alienation.”
They wandered in the wilderness one year for each day the spies explored Canaan.
God was teaching them something:
The 40 year delay was also a time for discipline and testing. God prepared their hearts and removed the old generation that didn’t trust Him.
In Deuteronomy 8:2, Moses is speaking to the Israelites. He is recounting their journey in the wilderness, reminding them of God’s guidance and testing.
“You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart,whether you would keep His commandments, or not.”
This time tested their faith, refined their obedience, and prepared a new generation to enter the promised land with courage.
Only two men from the original adult generation entered Canaan: Joshua and Caleb. Because they trusted God when others did not.
Joshua showed strong faith and later led Israel across the Jordan.
There are lessons for us today we can learn from the Israelites 40 year journey. A few I have learned the hard way over the years.
God always has a way of testing and humbling us on this journey through life.
Lessons for us today
An 11 day journey took 49 years because of fear, not faith. God’s promise was sure, but the people’s hearts weren’t ready. Today we are also called to walk by faith, not by sight.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight” – 2 Corinthians 5:7
From Pity to Praise 