“There is no security on this earth, only opportunity.” That was the philosophy of General Douglas MacArthur. There are inward storms in our lives that contribute to developing a negative attitude. First, there is a fear of failure. We tend to hide it, deny it, ignore it, or hate it. But it is there. Failure is an important part of success. The key is to “fail forward” toward success. John Maxwell said, “The man who never made a mistake never did anything.”

We think that we must survive in order to accomplish anything. Jesus taught, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” (John 12:24) And the apostle Paul stated, “”I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Often, the appearance of failure is just the next step to success. Second, there is the dread of discouragement. It causes us to see ourselves as less than we really are and hurts our self-image. It causes us to avoid our responsibilities. It causes us to blame others for our problems. It causes us to confuse the facts. The prophet Elijah is an example of discouragement. (See 1 Kings 19:4-18) He had experienced a great victory on Mt. Carmel. Next, we find him hiding from Jezebel, having lost all hope. Discouragement comes when we (a) feel there is no hope for success; (b) become selfish and think only of our own welfare; (c) expect immediate success and don’t get it; or (d) lack purpose and a plan. Third, there is the struggle of sin. Your attitude begins to grow negative when sin enters your life. Sin causes withdrawal, hardness, and fleshly focus. How’s your attitude? Are you afraid of failure, dealing with discouragement, or struggling with sin?

Sin cera, Erik

Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.

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