“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (ESV)
All people long to live happily, but not everyone is willing to do the right thing to achieve happiness. The attitudes that we often inherit from our ancestors control us and do not allow us to make changes in our lives.
Long before William James, the father of American psychology, was credited with the phrase, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by modifying their attitudes.” We find in Proverbs 23:7 (a) that a man is how he thinks in his heart. “For as he thinks in his heart of him, so is he.” (KJV)
We decide to live in peace or in anguish, sad or happy. If I believe that everyone around me is evil, I will live my entire life in fear. As I think, this is how I will live. Everything will depend on my attitude. What determines our happiness is our thoughts, not our circumstances. We often think that we will achieve happiness when certain things happen.
Many people are living dissatisfied with everything. Even many Christians live unhappy and dissatisfied. They are always pessimistic about everything. Why? Because they have a wrong attitude in their lives.
“Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)
My attitude must be that God has said that he will not abandon us and that he will be in control of our lives.
As long as the source of our happiness is controlled by something external to us, we will be subject to or controlled by other people, places, or things. And that is not what God wants for your life.
God does not want you to live as a victim of circumstances that you cannot control. You have the right to be happy despite adversity. The system of this world wants to deprive you of the most valuable thing that God has given you. Your happiness!
You decide to be a happy or a bitter person in life. The psalmist said, “No matter what I face this day, I am going to bless Jehovah today. No matter how big my problems are, today I am going to bless Jehovah.”
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 (ESV)
Attitudes don’t change on their own; you have to work on them every day of your life. That’s called renewing your mind. The best way to renew our minds is to know the word of God and apply it to our lives every day.
“The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin.” Proverbs 10:16 (ESV)
A renewed mind will produce a good attitude, and a good attitude will bear good fruit. The good fruits in your life will preach what your attitude is like and who you truly are.