I Had A “Baditude”–Do You Have One?

I had a baditude.  And it was an extremely nasty one.  But I found the remedy, and I took the medicine that cured it.  I share this story with you because I have to ask, do you have one too?

A baditude is pretty much what you may think it is just by its spelling.  Yes, it is a BAD attitude.  And while there are many different kinds of attitudes, and the reasons for them,  a baditude is the worst possible kind of attitudes.  That is because it can be the most harmful, to others and to one’s self.

Because of recent pressures of family, work, and (dare I say it?) even church issues, my attitude, which is usually happy, spirited, and fun-loving, gradually began to change into one I did not recognize. It certainly was not my norm.  I tend to embrace life, and love to be involved in everything!  I do easily overload myself, which accounts for many of my frustrations.  I do it to myself, then the possibility of failure raises its ugly head.  Thus, the beginning in the change of attitude.

My family issues include health problems of a loved one that most likely will not be healed on this side of the Jordan River.  So a hint of depression crept in, like the thief in the night, and began to erode my happy attitude.

Then there was the constant pressure of a changing world in my work place. I cannot believe I was mentally complaining about my church life, but sometimes even the things I love doing for the Lord became tasks I would just rather not do, today, tomorrow, or even next Tuesday.  Demands from friends and acquaintances arose from nowhere and caused disruption to my tenuous schedule, and expedited the erosion of my happy attitude. Suddenly it was cruising at fast forward.

In short, I found that my attitude became hateful, and willfully so.  My patience grew short, I wallowed in depressing thoughts, and I did not wish to be bothered, by anyone.  I became someone I am not, a stranger in my body, and my spirit woman was hidden away like she was dirty laundry.  One of the worse side effects of this process of baditude was my instantly critical spirit. One word could be spoken to me, and I attached a slant to it that was perceived as an attack. This ushered in the critical spirit, which sealed the deal on my baditude.

So what did I do about it?  I heard the Word.  Yes, that’s what I needed.  I needed to hear a person I trusted preach the Word of God, straight from the Good Book itself.  

I needed to hear about relationships, and how important they are to God, and how He wants us to have one not only with Him, but with one another.  I heard for the one millionth time that we are better together, yet I was shouting, “Who needs unity?”

I needed God’s Word, to hear it, to read it, to live it.  I recognized that I was creating a person inside who was not me, and God does not will that for my life.  I had turned away from my God, because of my inability to trust Him enough to see me through all those difficult situations.

I confessed to Him, I prayed for a heart change, and I no longer have my baditude.  God’s Word has the answers for anything and everything we face. Jesus walks with us and holds our hands.  That, in and of itself, is enough to keep our happy attitudes, don’t you think?

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”  Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

Have you ever gone through a time when you had the baditude that I described? If so, what was your source of remedy?  Please share your story with us at www.mystoryofgrace.com.

Blessings!