Have a good attitude no matter where you are.

Do you feel like you are stuck in life? As if your job, or your circumstances, have you stuck in prison? We all go through those periods where we seem to be in limbo with no way out. The good news is that God does know the way out. The trick is to keep a right attitude until new doors open for you.

Joseph understood. He served as a servant, and then as a prisoner, with such a good attitude that he was promoted. Daniel served multiple kings as a foreigner in a foreign court with kindness. He respected and honored kings who worshiped idols.

You may be in a job with terrible conditions, but that should not affect your attitude. You should carry the kingdom of God in with you to affect the atmosphere where you are. Serve with a kind heart. Be Christ to others with honor and respect, even when your real desire is to be somewhere else.

Our job is to be content and serve God by honoring those we work with and live with. Let the Holy Spirit give you what you need to be kind, patient, and wise. That’s why you have Him. The doors will open. Be happy until then.

Our transformation is a journey

Your transformation as a believer is not sudden or over night. It’s a journey and a progression of change.

First you have to be willing to change. If you made the decision to accept Jesus as Lord, but don’t feel the need to change your life, then you won’t. Everything that the Holy Spirit has to offer will be wasted.

Change begins when you move from willingness to desire. When you really want the things that God has for you, you put yourself in God’s hands. You get hungry for more of His presence and the blessing that He brings.

Once you begin to walk with new understanding of your place in the kingdom, you begin to commit yourself to God’s ways. We’re not perfect so when the slips happen, it takes commitment to stay the course and be who you are called to be.

Over time, that commitment becomes a lifestyle. You don’t have to remind yourself to live righteously, because God is in you. Your relationship with Him becomes second nature. You talk to Him and hear His voice on a daily basis.

As long as we live and breathe, the journey of transformation will continue. No matter how old you become, you’ll still be tweaked and changed by Him. The closer we get to Him, the more we’ll look like Him.

Gideon didn’t have dreams of being a great leader, but God needed him to be. God needed someone who would step up and obey what the Lord told him to do. I think Gideon was successful because he was humble. He didn’t feel qualified. He questioned God because he felt so unqualified. And that’s the heart that God can trust with authority.

The ones who feel qualified are usually too full of themselves. They may need to let go of arrogance or pride. They need to let go of how they think they should lead and let God be the one with vision.

Jesus said, When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 14:8-11)

Jesus modeled a life of service. He showed us that He expects humility from us. When we can live in humility, He can promote us to where He needs us to be. You ability to live greater in the kingdom corresponds directly to your ability to live humbly. It’s a mindset you have to be willing to take on. It’s a lifestyle that will change everything.

I love how God used Mary, an unwed teenager; Gideon, a timid man from an insignificant family; David, the least in his father’s house, possibly illegitimate. God spoke to kings, but most of the time He used the ones who didn’t feel qualified. So why do we think that we aren’t important enough, or smart enough, or valued enough for God to use us?

One person can change history. All it takes is a willingness to obey, especially the commandment to love God and people. Once we get that down, He can use us. It doesn’t always have to be dramatic fire from heaven. He can be very subtle, but effective to establish His kingdom.

Let it be you. You be the one He uses to touch your family, your workplace, your city, your nation. Be like Samuel and say, Here am I. The humble will inherit the earth, so let humility direct your heart.

We don’t know why God chose to use us, but He does. The mess we see in society is largely due to the church not stepping up to love people the way we’re told to. Don’t wait for your friends to agree with you. Don’t wait for leaders to lead the way. God is calling you. The fields are white for harvest and there are very few laborers. Make a difference. Be the one.

Our capacity to love other people comes from God. We have to connect with His love or we’ll never love with the depth that we’re called to. We have to see people through His eyes, and He sees everyone as His precious ones.

Think about the people in your life that you love the most — a spouse, a baby, a dear friend, or even a pet. You love them more than anyone. They truly are precious to you. Now think about the strangers at the grocery store that you pass by without a second look. They are precious. They are dear souls that God loves and wants in the kingdom.

To see other people, whether you know them or not, as precious to you as they are to God takes a willingness to love deeply. You have to want to, it won’t just happen. Press into the love that God has for you and allow Him to soften your heart. Ask Him to give you His eyes and His heart. Ask Him to help you love.

Loving others will be the great key that opens all of heaven for you. Be kind. Be nice. But, above all, love His precious ones.