Let me share with you a story of how I learned to have a good attitude through good and bad times alike. It all begins in a city in West Africa called Cape Coast,in Ghana West Africa. It was Sunday morning and I was at church service during prayer time and the pastor was leading us all in prayer. He started directing us in each phase of our collective prayer as to what we were to pray about. Now if you are not familiar with how prayer is done in most charismatic or spiritual churches in West Africa, let me briefly describe how it is done. Whoever is leading prayer will make sure that everyone is engaged in every aspect of prayer. There is no passive listening to whoever is praying and just saying "Amen" at the end. The prayer leader will describe each phase for example: "Let's give thanks to the Lord". Then every one in the place will open their mouth and start giving thanks out loud in their own words what they want to give thanks for, until directed to stop. Then the next subject may be Let's ask for forgiveness etc.
So as we started praying I was disturbed in my spirit about my own particular situation. I was thinking about all the promises that Yahweh (God The Father) had given me regarding my station in life, my finances, my mission etc. I was starting to feel annoyed because I did not see the evidence yet, of all the promises He had given me regarding my personal life being fulfilled. It seemed that every time I would get a breakthrough in my finances or business it would not last. I seemed to be in a cycle of moving forward then sliding backwards. I was annoyed and frustrated so I decided to break away from the communal prayer and pray about my own issue. I wanted an answer--Yahweh (God) you promised this but yet I'm receiving something else. Why, Why, Why, I was complaining. I must admit I did not have a good attitude, I continued on with my own wailing and whining until prayer was over.
After church I, my wife and children went home. As soon as we got in, my wife Theresa grabbed the remote control and "BLAM"-- on went the TV and true to Sunday tradition, there was a Preacher of a Mega Church from Nigeria preaching to his congregation. I was not too thrilled about hearing some more preaching. I kinda wanted to scold her about this preacher thing but held my peace.
The first thing I heard the preacher say was: "rejoice and be glad" He would read from the bible a verse about rejoicing give a personal testimony then return to the phrase (which was his theme) "rejoice and be glad".
Psalm 188:24-"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it".
I started to pay attention a little bit. The first story he started with was the testimony of his meager beginnings in the ministry. He shared with us how God called him into the ministry and he began with eight people in his house. The hard wood benches with no backs that he would bring from the back room (their bedroom) that people had to sit on--unbeknownst to them, doubled as their beds. No matter what the hardship he would still--"rejoice and be glad". Then the eight people turned to ten then fifteen and each time he and his wife would--you guessed it "rejoice and be glad". He would read another scripture tell another story then back to
Psalm 188:24-"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it".
He continually admonished his audience the importance of rejoicing no matter what your circumstance.
Another experience he shared was how they would have to travel by train to various places for the ministry with their raggedy and tattered luggage. Their luggage would be so raggedy and tattered they would have to tie it up with belts and ropes to keep it together. They would place the luggage at the other end of the car that they were in so that they could keep an eye on it out of the corner of their eyes, without people suspecting it was theirs. Again--you guessed it: "rejoice and be glad".
The testimony started to penetrate my spirit and I became interested in what he was saying. I could really relate. My bad attitude started to change to a good attitude.
Then he talked about how the blessing angels when they are sent from heaven with blessings look for and are drawn to those who are rejoicing--they don't go to the ones sulking in the corner with a bad attitude. He used the analogy of a Father who comes home from work tired and glad to be home. When his children see him and start running to him with all their might happy to see him screaming and jumping with delight it is a normal reaction for him to reach into his pocket to want to give them something. A good attitude invokes such a positive response. The one sulking in the corner with a bad attitude, not coming to greet him, does not illicit that type of response.
I could surely relate to that. So true, when my children run to me with glee and excitement It touches me in that same way. WOW! I was beginning to get the message. You guessed it. No matter what the circumstance it is in my best interest to "rejoice and be glad" and have a good attitude.
Finally the story that put the nail in the coffin so to speak and completely changed my outlook and attitude from the coffin of despondency, bad attitude and discouragement was this:
The example of the high jump athlete. After clearing the first height the bar will be raised and after the second height it is raised again. As the bar gets higher and higher the athlete has to go back further and further so that he can gain enough momentum to clear the next height.
That was the complete answer to my conversation and prayer I had that very morning with Yahweh (God the Father). Thank you Father I said I learned my lesson. I now know how important it is to maintain a good attitude no matter what. I will no longer complain and moan and wail when I go through adversity and trials and troubles on my road to the fullness of my destiny. I will rejoice and be glad. I hope this rejoice and be glad story will be of help and encouragement to you as much as it was for me and help you keep a good attitude through every experience on your way to the fullness of your ordained destiny in life.
Psalm 188:24-"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it".
Contributing Author: Ahveekhy Ben BinahYah
http://www.finding-happiness.org
http://www.finding-happiness.org
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