Article Library

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By Pastor Chuck Swindoll

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Attitude Is a Choice

“The longer I live, the more I realize the importance of choosing the right attitude in life. Attitude is more important than facts. It is more important than your past, more important than your education, or your financial situation. It’s more important than your circumstances, your successes or your failures. More important than what other people think or say or do, including what they think or say about you. It is more important than your appearance, your giftedness, or your skills. It will make or break a company. It will cause a church to split or succeed. It will make the difference between a happy home or a miserable home. You have a choice each day you live regarding the attitude you choose.”

Don’t Focus on the Broken Strings

“Life is like a violin. You can focus on the broken strings that dangle or you can play your life’s melody on the one that remains. You cannot change the years that have passed. You cannot change the daily tick of the clock. You cannot change the pace of your march toward death. You cannot change the decisions or reactions of other people. You certainly cannot change the inevitable. These are strings that dangle. They mean little today. What you can do is play on the one string that remains, your attitude. I’m convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I respond to it. And the same is true for you.”

Imitate Jesus’ Unselfish Humility

“Do you realize it was an attitude that Jesus had when He left heaven to become a part of our lives on this earth. There was an attitude of unselfish humility. He came and He lived among those who did not want him. ‘Came unto His own things and His own ones did not welcome Him,’ John writes. Didn’t change His attitude. He was more determined than ever.”

Play Your “One String” with Joy

“One string. It’s all you’ve got. One string. If you let the enemy have his way in your life, you’ll focus on the three that dangle. Your dad who did this against you, and shouldn’t have. Your mother who didn’t prove herself to be the mother you needed or wanted. That man that took advantage of you, or that woman, or that boss, or that coach, or that teacher. I don’t care what you name. They’re all dangling strings and they mean nothing! Unless, of course, you want to live a dangled string life rather than playing on the one string that God’s given you.”

How Our Attitudes Impact Our Homes

“My wife and I have learned that our attitude has everything to do with the whole atmosphere that is in our home. How important it is that we let that attitude stay positive. She’s terrific about that. I’ll bring situations to her and rather than looking at the glass half empty, she’ll remind me that it’s half full, with ideas I had never thought of before. How terrific is that?”

Additional Resources

First, sign up for our Chuck’s Insights on Ministry email where we bring you his best thoughts on preaching, leadership, and ministry each week. By signing up, you’ll instantly receive a one-page checklist with 20 preaching insights from Chuck. See this page’s sidebar.

Second, check out our new Preach The Word articles and video series on YouTube where we’re teaching Chuck’s best insights on this important calling.

Third, listen to Chuck’s messages to those in ministry through our Seminary Chapels page. For decades, he offered students at Dallas Theological Seminary his best thoughts on church leadership and ministry. Now, we have put them at your finger tips. Also, you can find them through this YouTube playlist we created for you.

Fourth, if you don’t own a copy of Chuck’s book on preaching, Saying It Well, we highly recommend you add it to your library. It’s his preaching memoir that is also like a practical preaching manual. You won’t be able to put it down.

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