The Attitude God Blesses
July 1, 2003 by Gospel Assembly Church
Filed under Articles
God is looking for a certain type of person. He wants to bless men and women. But He can only bless those who have the right attitude. We call it the right spirit. The Lord said: “to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Isaiah 66:2. In another place, He said that He dwells “with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,” and would work “to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15.
A humble and contrite spirit is the attitude that God will bless. He cannot and will not bless those who are filled with arrogance and pride. The Lord will not revive a proud heart; but will revive a humble and contrite heart. Psalms 101:5 says “Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.” The scripture says, “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.” Proverbs 16:5.
Some people are proud and unbroken; God will not bless them. Others are broken and humble, and are in a position to be blessed. “Blessed are the meek.” Matthew 5:5. This may run counter to the culture of society. So what? We are in a counter-culture church. Society’s politicians are not poor in spirit, sports stars are not meek, rock stars and Hollywood’s teen idols are not humble. But God wants His people to be so.
Question: What does God want from you?
Answer: Psalms 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
May we all be broken. I don’t mean dispirited and glum and lifeless. That would be a sad condition and a wrong attitude. Solomon wrote: “by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” Proverbs 15:13. He also wrote that “a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Proverbs 17:22.
A child of God should be joyful at all times. But we should never be proud or arrogant. “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” Proverbs 8:13. God hates pride and has promised only punishment to the arrogant. “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.” Isaiah 13:11.
The Lord seeks brokenness and contrition. Jesus maintained that attitude His entire life. Even as we experience the joy of forgiveness of our sins, there is still a sense of contrition for the wrong we have done. “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalms 34:18.
Judah’s greatest king, Josiah, was blessed because his heart was tender and his attitude was humble. II Chronicles 34:27. Jesus said, “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” Matthew 21:44. It is far better to fall on the rock and break.
What kind of attitude will God bless? One that is not proud and haughty; but rather is humble and contrite. Consider and contrast the attitudes of King Saul and David; of the publican who asked God to be merciful to him- a sinner and the self-righteous Pharisee who thanked God that he wasn’t as bad as others; and of the prodigal son and his elder brother. Consider the two lists below.
Proud, Arrogant Spirit
- Focus on failures of others
- Looks down on others
- Very independent
- Has to be in control
- Must prove they are right
- Demands rights
- Has demanding spirit
- Defensive of time, rights, reputation
- Desires to be served
- Desires to succeed
- Desires self-advancement
- Driven to be recognized/appreciated
- Wounded when overlooked
- Sullen if suggestions not taken
- Think what they can do for God
- Confident in how much they know
- Self-conscious; concerned with looks
- Keeps people at arm’s length
- Quick to blame others
- Defensive when criticized
- Concerned about being respectable
- Concerned about what others think
- Works to maintain an image
- Can’t say “I was wrong”
- Can’t forgive
Broken, Contrite Spirit
- Overwhelmed with own spiritual need
- Esteems others better than self
- Dependent upon God
- Willing to surrender control
- Willing to yield the right to be right
- Yields rights
- Has giving spirit
- Self-denial
- Motivated to serve others
- Desires to help others succeed
- Desires to promote others
- Sense of unworthiness
- Rejoices when others are lifted up
- Willing to submit to others
- Know they have nothing to give God
- Humbled by how much they need to learn
- Little concern over self
- Willing to risk letting people get close
- Quick to accept responsibility
- Accepts criticism with open, humble spirit
- More important to be real and sincere
- Concerned with what God thinks
- Dies to the world (appearance doesn’t matter)
- Quick to accept fault
- Awed by God’s forgiveness
