~ Stinky Attitude ~

Does life bore you, burn you out and leave you “feeling” hopeless? Do you think, feel and want too much? Raise your hand high because you are not alone. Our feelings can lie to us, really bad.  

I believe this happens because we are not focused on the Lord. We drift off to nowhere land and we are looking at other things in this world and wishing and hoping for more of this or that and not Jesus. You see, I believe Jesus is in the ordinary, he is in the mundane and routine IF we shift our perspectives.  May I share somethings with you?

This morning on my way to work I was driving worshipping my Father and it hit me. It hit me why I was feeling boredom, burnt out and just irritated. I think that is how the Holy Spirit works sometimes he just goes upside our heads and things just click. Ha! But you see I have been just irritated with work. The day to day was just irritating me. I must have wanted to quit like 6 times last week and I only work 5 days a week. My mind was on “making pretty things” at home and taking care of my home. In fact, many who truly know me know that I have wanted to stay at home and do full time coaching, work on writing my book or devising the proto type for my “ARU Bible Study Notebook” but bills need to be paid. There is so much I have WANTED to do BUT I cannot because I work 40 hours a week and drive 2 hours in traffic back and forth each week. Sooooooooo, in my complaining Jesus stops me. Here I am in the car and God says “Monique, you think, feel and want way too much. Why can’t you be satisfied with exactly where you are?” I just kind of sat there in silence totally hushed up and I had no answer. All I could think of was that I am an emotional basket case. As I sat there, I put on Joyce Meyer’s podcast and it was titled “having a patient attitude”. I thought to myself: Okay Lord, I know you are about to give it to me! Ha

Joyce talked about why I have no patience in her sermon. She said only “patience allows me to enjoy the present that I have”. She said the greatest gift God gives me is to enjoy the present moment. That was it there. I was not enjoying every single moment of my life which included working because my attitude towards it smelled real bad. If I cannot enjoy life right now I will never enjoy life in anything else that I do EVEN if God allows me to stay home and work on ministry related things. It is not what I am doing; it is something in my attitude that makes it pleasant or sour. So I sat there. Lord, my attitude does stink huh? The rest of my ride into work was really evaluating my attitude. I cannot be promoted if my attitude stinks. I prayed and asked God to help me with it. I asked him to search my heart and to convict me any time my attitude was just bad in regards to work.

God showed me through Joyce, while driving to work that I needed an attitude adjustment about work. I was not bored, burnt out or hopeless like the devil was trying to tell me I was. I had a wrong attitude about working and that can happen when I drift on over to me instead of staying with the Lord. I am not perfect and neither are you. I personally love how God works to show his precious children some things about their lives. I am glad he showed me about myself that morning. I want to grow and I want to become all that God needs me to be. In the past, I would have sat there all shameful instead I seen this as an opportunity for action to purposely shift my posture to His presence.

Today, I encourage you to work through some things with the Lord. Team up with him and start evaluating the things that are holding you back from a deeper relationship and walk with Him. We are made for more and we need to focus on the Lord and not ourselves. Who is with me?

In Christ,

Monique Smith

Prayer Starter:

Lord, I thank you that you are moving in my life. I thank you that you personally use others to speak life into me in a way that is gentle yet convicting. I desire more of you Father; help me to take my eyes off myself and the situations I come across and to set my eyes onto you and nothing else. You are my Rock and my Provider and I love what we share together. May I continue to grow in you. Amen

~ I DECLARE ~

Declaring out loud scripture, any prayers or positive promises of the Lord is crucial to not only your walk with the Lord but to living everyday life as a believer. What we face daily is a test that we must pass. God uses certain situations to help build our faith so that we can become stronger in Him. God designed us so that we will need him every moment of our days. All throughout scripture is proof of this. That is why studying God’s word helps us to communicate and understand who He is. When I declare and say out loud a promise, scripture or a good thing with my mouth each day I am storing much in eternity. Also, when I do this I please my Father. I show Him that I need him and trust in his promises for my life and of course the devil is having a hissy fit. When I am down with despair and full of no hope the devil is having a party as many of you know. We have got to start today! We have got to claim our identity in Christ and stand and not waver in good or bad. We were not made for any other way. When we do not do this we let our flesh win and we give God nothing to work with.

Do you not want to fulfill your true purpose here on this earth? Well, sisters you have got to stand and stop giving this enemy all the glory with your thoughts, decisions and or mouth. Let’s give the Lord something to work with today.

John 15:5 says that we are to abide in the Lord and he will abide in us. We will bear much fruit if we stay connected to him. Apart from the Lord, we are NOTHING! How encouraging is that verse?

Today, join in with me….I declare this: “I am a child of God. Something good will happen in and through me. God loves me and he would never leave me so I will not fear. I will think on thoughts that are of the Lord and serve others as if I am serving my Father”.

Will you let this declaration be your anthem today? Say this all day to yourself until fear, doubt, confusion or anything else negative leaves you.

In Christ,

Monique Smith

Prayer Starter:

Lord, you did not come down to this earth and die on the cross so that I could live a miserable life. You came to save me and give me a new life in you. Help me to use my mouth to declare your promises over my life. When I am down and in despair Holy Spirit convict me so that I can use the authority you have given me to speak victory. Jesus, thank you for your love, thank you that you are already working on my behalf. Thank you for new beginnings in you. Amen