If You Want An Excellent Spirit

Be the best you that you can be.  Marlene Evans

Lately I've been considering excellence and what this looks like in my life. I want to be pressing "toward the mark for the prize of the high calling." God's high calling is the goal and it is above what I can attain on my own. But God is my enabler. 

 Excellence is defined as "of great worth" and "valuable." The Bible says that excellence is tied to righteousness (Proverbs 12:26), that a man of understanding is of an excellence spirit (Proverbs 17:27), that an excellent spirit brings favor from authorities (Daniel 6:3). So part of excellence is my spirit. 

How can I have this excellent spirit? My spirit is my attitude. Attitude is so critical. My attitude shapes everything and shapes my children's everything as well. I want to have an excellent attitude and I've found some things that help me.

To Have an Excellent Attitude (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
1. Rejoice evermore.  Rejoice means to experience joy and gladness to a high degree. Can we not rejoice always, at least for our salvation? Bring gladness to yourself by remembering what God has done for you.  Romans 12:12 says to rejoice "in hope." We have the promise of eternal life, the hope of heaven. What riches! Philippians 4:4 says to "rejoice in the Lord." When nothing else seems right, Jesus is.

2. Pray without ceasing. Continually bring yourself into God's presence by prayer. Take Jesus with you in your thoughts. Of course He goes with you everywhere but how often do you forget He is there? How many hours do you go not thinking of Him? Instead of carrying on those negative thoughts and dialogues, talk to Jesus. Talk to Him about what's going on, about how you're feeling, pray for people you come into contact with, thank Him for blessings, talk to your children about Him.

3. Give thanks in everything. A thankful heart cannot be a proud heart. Give thanks that you can get out of bed in the morning. That you have the strength to care for your family. That you have a family to care for. Give thanks for God's many blessings.

Take one day and try this. Thank God for as many things as you can think of throughout your day and just see if you don't have a better attitude. Don't gripe and complain about petty things (or big things!). Remember Jesus. The battle for our attitude can be won through our thoughts. 

4. And a bonus, be patient in tribulation. (Romans 12:12) In those trials and testings, rest assured that God is working on you to make you more like Him. He's not forgotten. He's not grown cold toward you.  You cannot possibly see all that God is doing in your life in these circumstances. So in those tribulations, keep repeating steps one through three above.

An excellent attitude will help you be the best you that you can be. And that honors God and helps others.