July 17, 2023 - Let your ATTITUDE determine your ALTITUDE!

I have said before that I have never entered a huddle with one of my teams and told them what they needed to do to lose… the same would obviously be true of God and His Word… He always gives us the best way to find victory in circumstances. (Note: Victory “in” is different that victory “from” – God doesn’t always remove circumstances but always provides for victory “in” or “through” them!)

Our devotion site is titled “Game Plans for Life” with a goal of helping navigate the ups and downs of the game… to help with when we are winning or when we are losing. The reality is that we can’t always control the scoreboard, (sometimes we have a bad game… sometimes the other team is simply better…), but we can control our ATTITUDES…

When our physical ALTITUDE (circumstances/the scoreboard) determines our ATTITUDE, we will only find joy/peace/satisfaction if things are going our way… BUT… when our ATTITUDE determines our spiritual ALTITUDE, we will find joy/peace/satisfaction in spite of circumstances/the scoreboard…

I’ve written about this part of The Playbook many times, but felt it appropriate again this week…

Philippians 4:4 is an incredible ATTTUDE verse: REJOICE in the Lord ALWAYS. Again I will say, rejoice! (I figure if the Spirit can prompt Paul to write it again, I can share it again… and again… and again!)

He goes on to mention having gentleness (vs 5), contentment (vs 6), and peace (vs 7)… These are all examples of a spiritual ALTITUDE that is a result of a proper ATTITUDE...

This plays out in Paul’s life in not allowing his physical ALTIUDE to determine his ATTITUDE… in verses 10-12 he reminds us that the physical ALTITUDE is ever changing… many ups and downs… but one’s ATTITUDE determines how he/she handles it…

4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Paraphrase: Circumstances/the scoreboard will not determine my ATTITUDE… my victory is in Jesus… not in what I am taken from… left in… or going through! I will REJOICE in or out of the storm!

Next week I plan to share a recipe for a losing attitude: When there is too much focus on the individual instead of the team…