Positive Attitude

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God! Psalm 42:5-6

In the next few days, I want to share five realities that can change your marriage. The first one is this: I am responsible for my own attitude. Trouble is inevitable, but misery is optional. Attitude has to do with the way I choose to think about things.

Two wives have husbands who have lost their jobs. Wendy says, “My husband hasn’t had a full-time job in three years. The good part is not being able to afford cable TV. We’ve done a lot more talking on Monday nights. We’ve learned a lot. Our philosophy is ‘We don’t need what everybody else thinks they have to have.’ It’s amazing how many things you can do without.” On the other hand, Leslie says, “My husband hasn’t had a job for ten months. We are down to one car, no phone, and we’re getting food from the food bank. Life is miserable at our house.”

The difference in these two wives—and the atmosphere in their homes—is basically a matter of attitude. We can choose to think negatively and curse the darkness, or we can choose to look for the silver lining behind the clouds.

The writer of Psalm 42 certainly knew the power of a good decision. Faced with discouragement, he made the choice to turn his attention to the hope that comes from God. When we remember the good things about our lives—including the salvation and love God gives us—we are choosing to change our attitude.

PRAYER
Lord, I know I tend to blame circumstances for my frustration. But the truth is, I need to be responsible for my own attitude. Help me to choose hope and optimism, and may that transform the way I view my marriage relationship.