Choose Your Attitude, Change Your Life by Deborah Smith Pegues

Author:Deborah Smith Pegues
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780736958288
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

Day 18

Choose Flexibility

“A flexible person is a happy person,” my husband said, mimicking the expression I always use to adjust my attitude when my precious plans go awry. This was his way of letting me know that something had just gone wrong, but that he was putting forth an effort to “go with the flow.”

While I haven’t “arrived,” I have made great strides in overcoming my rigid attitude. I used to put my plans in cement, and woe unto anybody who changed them. I would most likely strike their names off my list for any future interaction. Thank God for deliverance.

Over 20 years ago, the wife of a long-time friend of mine joined him on one of his revival trips to Los Angeles. When her flight arrived, she learned that her luggage had been lost. The revival service would start shortly. I’m sure she had planned to wear a special outfit, but she showed no frustration or disappointment. Her flexibility and peacefulness affected me in a profound way. I decided then that I would make every effort to become a flexible person. In fact, I renew my commitment each time I observe someone at the height of frustration simply because he refuses to be flexible.

Ray is a typical example. His job as a city maintenance worker requires him to share a truck with another man I’ll call Jack. Jack tends to get extremely hot and requires the windows in the vehicle to remain down, even when it’s chilly outside. Ray often finds the discomfort unbearable and infuriating. He has confronted Jack several times; company management refuses to get involved. When I counseled him recently, I asked, “Why don’t you just take a heavier jacket to work? Jack obviously has a medical condition that causes his problem, and there’s a limit to the level of clothing he can peel off.” At first, Ray was stuck on the fact that it just “should not be so.” When I pointed out that he was experiencing the most emotional turmoil—typical of inflexible people—he realized that he could continue to live in “Shouldville” or he could simply make the necessary changes.

Someone once said, “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” Such was the case with Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, who was afflicted with leprosy. His wife’s maid, a Jewish captive, suggested that he visit the prophet Elisha to seek healing. He had envisioned the healing scenario before he left home. However, when he arrived, Elisha didn’t even bother to come out and greet him.

But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.”

But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the LORD his God

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