The Battle-ground of...Attitude

I tell ya…the last couple days I’ve been hit with a really bad attitude.

I attribute my feelings to impatience and the “hope deferred” I’ve experienced daily as I wait, longing to hold this baby in my arms.  My tolerance for those kids that I love so much and the husband who is trying to be so helpful has been…slim.  Every little thing irritates me and I’m overwhelmed far too easily.   

And it’s robbing me of the joy “set before me”, I’ll admit.  

But why?  Why, when I have set my eyes and heart upon God’s goodness, when I am anxious to accept this gift that He’s given me, ready to experience His goodness in a way I’ve never expected before…why am I overcome with this oppressive mood? 

Then these words occurred to me yesterday as God applied them to a totally different situation, and I realized that they apply to my attitude problem just as well:

"We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

I have no good reason to have a bad attitude, the opposite in fact!  This isn’t coming from me…this is coming from an enemy who is trying his darndest to rob me of my joy and my faith and trust in God and His goodness during this time.  This enemy is trying to distract me from my worship of God and the honor of serving my family as I await the arrival of a heavenly gift! 

So, once again (as I need to do often) I looked up the passage that tells me what I need to do about it.

Ephesians 6:10-19

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God, that

ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

I will be able to stand against any tactic if I’m “putting on the armor of God”!

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

This is not merely a hormonal anomaly common to expectant mothers!  This is not simply a wrestling match between sweet Jen and crabby Jen…

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I need to remember the truth…not focus on feelings.  And I need to make right choices, regardless of how I might feel.  I need to STAND on those truths, not just ‘give up’ and wallow in my bummed state of being!

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

I need to stop being anxious and instead cast my cares at His feet, remembering that He is the one with the perfect plan (even if the timing has got me twiddling my thumbs!) and let His peace which passes all understanding flood my heart and life.

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Most of all, I need to trust God in ALL THINGS.  Not just what I’m praying for and hoping for, but also in the things that I may not understand at the moment.  That constant and all-encompassing faith will shield me from any dart that comes from any direction.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

I need to remember that in salvation I have been freed from the bondage of sin (that includes sinful attitudes and thoughts!)  I've been given power to take captive every thought and emotion to the obedience of Christ.  I need to remember to apply God’s words to battle!  I can’t be lazy…The irritations, the expectations that are left unmet that overwhelm me as a housekeeper, the impatience, the “hope deferred”…I need to fight those feelings with God’s word.  And the great thing is that He has given us words that apply to every possible situation!

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Boy have I been self-focused...this reminds me that I also need to stop thinking only of myself…I need to be praying in the Spirit and watching out for all of the saints.  Maybe if I wasn’t spending so much time dwelling and obsessing on what I can’t (and don’t want to) control, just maybe I would have a better attitude about everything! 

James says, “resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  Shamefully, I haven’t resisted much the last couple days…I’ve tried in my own strength to be more patient, less irritable, etc. but I have not ‘put on the armor of God’ against this. 

It may seem trivial to some extent, maybe even a little dramatic, to think that my bad attitude is a spiritual attack; but make no mistake, if there’s goodness and joy to be had of God, the ‘powers and principalities’ that be will do everything possible to rob you of it!  There’s nothing too small, nothing irrelevant, that can’t be used to distract us and cause us to miss out on God’s peace and the fullness of His joy. 

I want a glorious testimony to share and I can’t allow myself to be blinded to the fact that the enemy has other plans.   But God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and Godliness, and everything we need to stand against attacks on any level!