In this age of social
media, there is no shortage of access to preaching and teaching. Many
well-known pastors and even lesser-known pastors are able to get their message
out through the internet. When I was
growing up, the number of well-known pastors was somewhat more limited. Among
them was Chuck Swindoll from California. He had a popular radio broadcast and
was a prolific writer. Many of his stories and teaching have stayed with me
over the years and made an impact. He had a great ability to take the Biblical
text and apply it to daily living.
Here’s a quote from Swindoll on the importance of attitude:
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, or a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. Nor can we change the fact that people act in a certain way. We also cannot change the inevitable. The only thing that we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you – we are in charge of our attitudes.”
Chuck Swindoll, Improving Your Serve, 1981
That’s a good reminder during the middle of our week. Unexpected events and problems can come at us from all directions. We can get overwhelmed by all the demands placed on us. In the midst of that, we can choose how to handle it. The writer of Proverbs said, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22) Don’t let the daily grind crush you this week. Ask the Lord to help you with a joyful heart.