Eileen's Blog - Part 7: Attitudes to Cultivate: New Ways of Thinking to Practice
The Holy Spirit is sent to be our teacher, who Jesus said in John 14:26, "will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you". The disciples had to be open to learn, and try new things, when they decided to follow him.
Indeed he exposed them to a variety of new ways of thinking and behaving they could never have anticipated. Only an openness to them could have kept them on track, following him. It is the same for us in our lives. We need to be ready to learn, however young or old we are.
Here are some helpful learning attitudes, disciples benefit from fostering:
Keep a curious and open mind-set which encourages exploration
Be willing to be exposed to new things, which can lead to unexpected connections and discoveries. Welcome the unfamiliar, the different, even the strange.
Share your hopes and dreams with those who care.
Be ready to act and if necessary, to change the way you do things.
Remember humility is your default position. Jesus washed the feet of others and said the greatest is the least, and servant of all: a humble attitude fosters a willingness to learn from unexpected events and to see opportunities in your daily life. If feelings of self- righteousness or offence begin to present themselves, remember your real identity doesn’t lie with them.
Have a “Jesus” perspective : in Matthew 6: 23 Jesus talked about having “a single eye“, meaning a complete focus on the values and attitudes of the kingdom of God. This helps us to develop the ability to notice and perceive the significance of the unexpected, or the "marginalia," and is crucial for recognizing a potential opportunity.
See yourself as God sees you: as part of his family, as part of himself. Be confident that you are included in the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (John 17:21-22).and as part of his body that acts with them on earth.
1 Corinthians 12:27: "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
Romans 8:38-39 states that there is no separation between you and nothing can separate you: "neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” You are home. Permanently.
Guard against worry: Jesus said “don’t worry’ in Matthew 6 v24-35, because anxiety blinds you to opportunity. Filtering your thoughts is essential: The Apostle Paul clearly describes the alternative to being preoccupied with fears.
He says “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life.” Philippians’ 46-7 The Message Bible
He continues with a kind of menu: alternatives which can act as an anti-dote to negativity. I think some Christian readers may have found this suggestion overwhelming, as if you have to do all these things at once, or perhaps live in a kind of unrealistic mist which ignores problems. Paul had plenty of problems, but he is saying “do what you saw me do” to his readers.
He is saying that problems are more easily handled when you take on a more positive mind-set, not being obsessed with the difficulty may even lead more quickly to solutions! He is encouraging his readers to take on, to practice, a more God-like approach so they can achieve peace of mind daily. He says:
“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies!” ” Philippians 48-9 The Message Bible
He is describing a change of mind set which can result in a more positive emotional state.. This can provide time to reflect on an experience and help in making sense of an unexpected event, connecting the dots!
In short, your open attitudes and fearlessness in cultivating opportunities in fresh fields can bring you blessings unexpected. And of course, never forget these are attitudes you are developing, learning, fostering, cultivating. There is no right and wrong. You can learn as much through circumstances which you didn’t handle the best way, than through your successes- if not more! Guilt and fear have no part in your learning journey as it may have done in the past:
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love"
God's attitude as a teacher is to encourage and nurture. This perfect love means we are freed from the fear of criticism, judgment or condemnation”. 1 John 4:18