Developing the right Christian attitude in life is essential for not only new believers but seasoned ones as well (not sure what it means to be saved? Read the article about salvation).
Developing the right Christian attitude is a matter of following what is outlined in the Bible. Here are seven ways to develop the right Christian attitude.
- Learn from God’s Word
- Pray Often
- Build Family Life Around God
- Be Careful How You Live
- Put Others First
- Don’t Worry
- Live By Faith
At first glance, this list can feel overwhelming and impossible to do.
Believe me, I get it.
But I can tell you from my own experience it’s doable by you!
You can start today, all you have to do is make God a priority right now in your life.
Every great journey starts with a single step.
Today is your chance to start with that first step.
1. Learn from God’s Word (Why Attitude Is Important)
It might seem like common sense to read the Bible, but it’s alarming how many Christians don’t actually crack a Bible unless it’s Sunday morning. How do you think not opening God’s Word and hearing from Him impacts your attitude in life?
In a survey by Pew Research, 63% of adults surveyed about reading the Bible admit to either seldom/never reading the Bible, reading it once or twice a week, or several times a year (view whole report here).
I think it’s safe to say most Christians know the importance of Bible reading, but what does God’s Word actually tell us about His Word?
Aligning our minds and hearts with the Word of God and what He has told us will be the first helpful step towards developing a better Christian attitude.
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:31–32
In this passage inside of John 8, Jesus is speaking with the Jews, but His words are for all people of faith and it’s a promise that depends on us.
We have to take action.
“If” you abide in My Word.
What does it mean to abide in His Word?
Acting out our lives in accordance with the Bible.
The only way we are going to achieve this is by knowing what God says in His Word and then doing it.
This doesn’t mean being a better Christian and trying harder but instead letting Christ live through us.
If you are a Christian, you have the power of doing this living inside of you right now!
So what if you haven’t been able to build a habit in the past.
Start today! No more excuses.
2. Pray Often (How To Have The Right Attitude)
Have you ever heard someone say, “All that’s left to do is pray..”?
This phrase has been used repeatedly, not just in the world, but inside the church!
It’s time we stop doing that and start saying, “First let’s pray!”
If Jesus Christ, the Son of God, needed time of prayer and time alone with God, how much more do we need it in our own lives?
Scripture is clear on prayer.
Let’s take a look at some passages.
We’ll start with the frequency of prayer in our lives as Christians.
A Prayerful Attitude
pray without ceasing,
1 Thessalonians 5:17
When we pray without ceasing, we are staying in a constant stream of conversation with God.
Will this develop the right Christian attitude in your life?
Yes!
I’ve been working on this in my own life for the last year or so when I realized something rather alarming in my walk with the Lord.
I was going through spans of time daily without any thought of God!
I really became uncomfortable with the thought I was no different than an atheist in those moments where God was absent from my thoughts.
Not literally, but you get the idea.
While I haven’t “arrived” to perfection in this regard, I have been working towards keeping a constant stream of prayer and consciousness toward God all throughout the day.
A Prayerful Heart Is Peaceful
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
Bringing everything we have to God through prayer can be difficult.
Often in my own life when I have a crisis or need to make a decision my knee-jerk reaction is to phone a loved one or confide in my spouse.
While these aren’t wrong, God should be the first one we go to with everything.
In verse 7 we get insight into how this helps us develop the right Christian attitude.
“and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Not just any peace, but the peace of God.
I’ve come to learn that “surpasses all understanding” simply means peace when it doesn’t make any sense.
3. Building Family Life Around God (Right Christian Attitude In Action)
It doesn’t matter how many people are in your family. It can be one, two, or nineteen.
No matter the count, it’s important to center your home life on God.
I remember a time in my life where my home and family weren’t centered on God and I desired so desperately to somehow get it there.
It won’t happen by just “wanting” it really bad. It takes time, it takes intentionality, it takes effort to keep God at the center.
The reason this wasn’t higher on the list is that the first two points play into this point. You need step one and step two in order to achieve step three.
Bible reading and prayer are essential for the transformation of your home.
If you want the right Christian attitude in your life, you have to have the right environment. This can be interrupted in a variety of ways, but I would suggest you start with you. Your lifestyle and the way you choose to conduct yourself daily.
Over time expand outward, but not too quickly. Often we want to change everyone else in our life and leave ourselves alone like they all are the issue. That’s not so. We need God’s transformation from the inside out and that starts with you and me daily in His Word and in prayer renewing our minds.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2
To assist us in this development of the right Christian attitude, we need to have things in our life around us that will encourage our walk. Light Christian music playing through the house is one example. Maybe it’s headphones if it’s disruptive. Wall art of Scripture in rooms, reminding you of precious Bible verses that have helped you.
The more you bring God into your mind, the easier it will become to live the Christian life in a way that pleases the Lord and is the correct attitude to have.
What Children Teach Us About God
Being a parent myself, I understand the difficulties that entail child-rearing. What took me a while to figure out though was how much they can teach us about God while they’re on loan to us from Him.
Often when I confront my son on his bad behavior, he tries to blame someone else instead of admitting the wrong he had done. What a parallel to the story of Adam and Eve in the garden! Upon realizing the similarity, I was able to understand more about God at that moment. When God asked in Genesis 3 where Adam was for instance. It wasn’t that He didn’t know where Adam had gone. He wanted dialogue and wanted Adam to own up to what he had done. I understand that more in a deeper way.
Another great example for children… When they think they know what is best, but when you as the parent know what’s best. Another perfect example, this time with you and me in our relationship to God. He knows what is best, we only think we know what is best.
A Must-Have Resource To Raise Godly Children!
Loving Our Kids on Purpose brings the principles of the Kingdom of God and revival into our strategy as parents. 2 Corinthians 3:17 tells us that Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. Most parenting approaches train children to learn to accept being controlled by well meaning parents and adults. Unfortunately, God is not going to control us as we gain independence from our parents.We must learn to control ourselves.This book will teach parents to train their children to manage their freedoms and protect their important heart to heart relationships. View on Amazon
What The Bible Teaches On A Godly Family
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
1 Peter 3:7
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
Ephesians 5:25
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4
Train up a child in the way he should go,
Proverbs 22:6
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Ephesians 5:22-24
It’s important to note an error I found myself doing earlier in my walk with the Lord. I only bring it up to encourage you to not repeat my mistakes.
Do not use the Bible as a weapon towards your spouse.
It never works.
Instead, focus on your walk and pray for the ones you love. I have found this to be a much more fruitful and helpful approach in life.
Also, always use the word to instruct your children in the home.
4. Be Careful How You Live (How To Live The Right Attitude)
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:15-17
How quickly do you make decisions?
I cannot recall the number of times I’ve personally made snapped decisions without even a moment of prayer only to regret it at a later point.
When we don’t take the time to think and pray over decisions in our lives, we can end up in the wrong place.
To avoid this, God, in His infinite kindness and love, has provided to us multiple instructional Bible verses that help us understand how to live!
All that is left to do is meditate on these Scriptures and ask the Lord to write them upon the tablets of our hearts.
The Heart, Eyes & Ears Of A Right Attitude
Keep your heart with all diligence,
Proverbs 4:23
For out of it spring the issues of life.
Our hearts are the place in which wisdom resides. We’re instructed here to keep our hearts guarded against the wickedness and evil corruption.
All issues in life come from the heart and we must be careful to protect it.
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Matthew 6:22-23
Jesus is informing us here that we are either full of light (focused on the Heavenly treasures) or the dark (earthly treasures). We cannot have two masters.
We need to guard our eyes, not allowing the darkness of this world in front of them.
Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.
Mark 4:24
We are responsible for what we hear. The more we sit under good Biblical teaching and the more we learn about God, His character, and His Word, the more responsibility and blessing the Lord will bestow upon us.
5. Put Others First (The Positive Impact Of A Good Attitude)
The life of Jesus Christ was one full of humility and compassion for others.
The night before his death, he was down on His hands and knees, washing the feet of His Disciples (read the story in John 13:1-17). This act of humility and servitude was done so we had an example of what it means to serve others.
The right attitude in life stems from the right heart. Placing others and their needs above our own is God-honoring and pleasing to the Lord.
When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was he said two things.
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:36-40
I believe the first is required before we can do the second. That’s why everything before this section in the post was about developing our relationship with God.
You see, it’s not until we truly love God with everything inside of us that we can truly start to love others.
Just as Christ lowered Himself to humanity, and then to His knees to wash feet, His love for us also took Him to the cross. His mind was set and locked on living out the will of God in His life.
If we desire to have the right Christian attitude, we have to follow the JOY acronym.
In the letter to Philippi, the Apostle Paul wrote an encouraging passage in chapter two that instructs Christians to not do anything out of selfishness, but instead in lowliness, putting others before ourselves.
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Philippians 2:3
It’s not a matter of us becoming unimportant, but instead, knowing that God will provide for all that we need. Knowing that we can live to serve instead of being served.
When we carry with us an attitude of serving others and placing the needs of others before our own, we enable God to use us in mighty and powerful ways.
It’s easier to talk about than to actually do.
I know this from personal experience and I’m sure you have some experience with this as well. This is especially true when we are wronged by those closest to us or if we feel as if someone is being uncaring. Our desire to serve and to hold others more important though cannot wane during these times. Instead, we are to run to God for strength and comfort.
It’s His continuous care for our needs that enables us to truly serve others and to live in a way that reflects the right attitude of a Christian who follows Christ.
6. Don’t Worry (Leads To Right Thinking)
In a world full of information coming at us faster than we can process, it’s not an easy feat to “not worry” about anything.
Whether it’s a nation in turmoil or worry over a spouse, child, or loved one. There is always an opportunity to worry.
God knows this and it’s why we have passages in Scripture that address the topic of worry. I want to narrow down and specifically look at the command in Scripture that is laid out by Jesus Christ.
The Basics Of Life
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Matthew 6:25
Jesus brings up the most fundamental requirements of living. We need to eat and drink to stay alive. We need clothing as well. These three basic components to functioning in life, He is instructing us not to worry about them.
Then He goes onto to ask a question. Isn’t life more than this?
I love how He asks this question. It reminds me of the fact of how often Jesus asked questions in His life. He was constantly trying to get people thinking.
Life is much more than just food, drink, and clothing and Jesus is putting an emphasis on this fact in verse twenty five.
The Birds Don’t Worry, Neither Should You
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
Matthew 6:26-27
He then draws our attention to the birds. They’re not worried at all, and yet God is providing for them.
I catch myself all the time becoming worried over both small and large things in my life. It’s in these moments we have to turn to the Word and what we know to be true. The Lord provides for the birds and we are more valuable than birds.
He then asks another question of us. Essentially asking how productive worry has been in our lives.
There’s a famous graduation speech entitled “Sunscreen” by Buz Luhrmann that has a lyric that says, ‘worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing Bubble gum.’ It’s true, worry accomplishes and adds nothing of value in our lives.
The Heart Of The Problem
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Matthew 6:28-30
Our Lord then goes on to point our attention to the lilies of the field. They’re being cared for and here for just a moment before being thrown out.
Then Jesus shifts into the heart of the issue, which in itself is the core problem when it comes to worry–faith.
Our faith and trust cannot be in the temporal. It cannot rest in what’s here today and gone tomorrow. There is only One we can trust.
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:31-33
We’re instructed here what we can do about it.
Instead of seeking after the temporary things of this world, Jesus offers us a better alternative and the right one that leads to the right Christian attitude.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
When we seek after the right things in life, God takes care of the rest.
He then tells us in the final verse of the chapter (34), ‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.’
Based on everything Jesus has told us, we are commanded not to worry about tomorrow.
Without worry in our lives, we will live out the life and will of God every single day.
7. Live By Faith
We are called to live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11).
What does it mean to live by faith?
The words faith and trust go hand-in-hand together.
If we are to live by faith, we are to live by trusting in God.
It’s through our faith and trust in God that we are able to live full lives that honor, glorify and please Him.
In fact, Scripture tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
The right Christian attitude isn’t difficult to have, but it does require effort on our part.
We have to go to the one source for all wisdom, truth, and goodness.
Jesus Christ.
The Right Christian Attitude Is Found In Christ
All of the information you have been reading can feel a bit overwhelming, and it should be. There’s a lot to be done.
I’ve got great news for you.
It’s already been done.
Jesus Christ did the work, and He is inviting each one of us to come into His loving embrace. All we must do now is come to Him.
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus gives us rest, not a to-do list of external checkmarks to sign off on every day.
The passage above details to us a sweet invitation.
He gives us rest when we go to Him.
So run to Jesus, you who are young and old.
Run to Jesus and learn from Him.
He will teach you to learn from God’s Word, to pray often, to build a family around God, to be careful how you live, to put others first, to not worry, and to live by faith.
If you’re looking for more help with cultivating the right Christian attitude, may I suggest checking out my recommended reads (non-fiction and fiction) in the resource center? It’s full of stuff I have written and recommend.