Have you noticed what an impact people’s attitudes have on their happiness or satisfaction? I was thinking about this after talking with two people the other day. The first is employed. The work has become more difficult and demanding because of cutbacks and increased pressure to produce. His work is closely monitored, literally to the minute, as he deals with customers on the phone. The pay is modest, and he barely covers his expenses. Whenever we talk, his voice is laced with resentment and criticism. He would leave his job in a minute if he had another opportunity, and he’s afraid that he may be laid off anyway due to further cutbacks.

The other friend is looking for a job. He’d do anything to have a job like that of the first person. When he hears about the micromanaging, the increase workload, the poor morale, he throws up his hands, wondering, “What does all that matter? What can’t you do with God’s help?” It is easy to see that when we get caught up in office politics and gossip, the spirit of dissatisfaction, criticism or self-pity can be contagious. There may be genuine issues that need to be resolved, but stewing in the juices of complaint is not productive. Our days become increasingly unhappy. This has a bad impact on our performance and every other facet of our lives as well. We are not always aware that it is our attitude rather than the situation that is “key” to our happiness.

The situation faced by Joseph in the Old Testament is a good example. Joseph’s brothers’ jealousy was so great that they sold Joseph into slavery. He went from being his father’s favorite child to being sold in the slave market. He was bought and added to the household of Potiphar, an Egyptian official.

It is not hard to imagine the surge of emotions that must have rocked him. What would your attitude have been under the circumstances? Perhaps surprisingly, Joseph actually excelled in his environment. Even when he was falsely accused of rape and tossed into jail his spirit could not be destroyed. The Bible reports: “The Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made to prosper.” We must remember that the Lord is with us as much today as He was with Joseph back then. If we can deal with adversity as well as Joseph, we can triumph over every difficulty of our own. Hatred, self-pity, anger, resentment, remorse – these would seem to be natural emotions under such circumstances, but they would never help Joseph – or us – to prosper.

It is clear that Joseph was able to maintain his conviction that his life was in God’s hands. He had a sense that God was in control and that God, who is boundless Love, would bless him regardless of appearances. Joseph’s brothers did not govern his life, nor did Potiphar or injustice govern his life. God did. Wherever he was, he was under the jurisdiction of the Most High. The Bible says, “My times are in thy hands,” and again, “He shall give his angels charge over thee, and keep thee in all thy ways.” Joseph remained certain of this unalterable truth.

No thoughts or emotions of jealousy, anger, betrayal, resentment, callousness, or vengeance were entertained. Such thoughts would have separated Joseph from God. God, who is unwavering Good, stayed at the center of Joseph’s life, with the result that Joseph kept expecting and receiving good from God. Despite outward appearances, God was leading him in paths that worked together for good.

As we grow in our own conviction that God is the ultimate power in our life, we are bothered less and less by the actions of others or by what we might otherwise consider to be negative circumstances. We start to realize that the unfolding of our lives is under the government of God, who is Wisdom and Love, and this powerful truth brings about adjustment or change that benefits us and all that we survey. When our attitude is governed by God, we prosper under all circumstances.

In His Light,

Bethany Charismatic Catholic Church