Self help books, videos and even bumper sticks tell us that we need to have a good attitude, that we need to face the day with a smile and start the day with positivity, but a biblical attitude is more than that.

A Godly attitude tells the world how we respond to what life gives us, and as we all know, life isn’t always easy. In Ecclesiastes, we hear the preacher tell us that we can be “too righteous” and “too wise.” A Christian life is about more than being a good person and more than being rewarded for good deeds and attitude. It’s easy to be frustrated when we’re seemingly boasting a smiling face and God isn’t delivering good things in return, but that’s not how biblical attitude works.

Here are three kinds of Godly attitudes and how we can work to have them in our daily lives. These aren’t the only biblical attitudes, but a few that we can pray for in our lives.

Faithful Attitude - Many of us want to be bold for Christ. We want to tell of his joys and his power, but we find it harder to be bold when we’re faced with a tough situation. However, a tough situation is a call for boldness. We are called to be bold in the face of uncertainty and trials, so that others will see our boldness and wonder where that comes from, and we can tell them: God.

It’s so easy to give up in a hard stage of life and to think that God has forgotten you. Instead, let us be faithful through the hard stages and faithful for others who are facing tough circumstances.

Supportive Attitude - As a community of believers, our job is to lift up our brothers and sisters. Practically, this means comforting our friends and family when they need it and serving them when they need it. Let us have servant hearts that help others, rather than sitting back and deciding to let “someone else” help. Biblically encouraging others means much more than a positive wish for them. It means you are investing in their lives.

We have a choice to support our friends and family with a biblical attitude or forget their needs. It could be as easy as checking in with a quick phonecall or text just to let them know that you are supporting them.

Patient Attitude - In times of trial, it’s hard to be patient and wait for an answer from God. We want him to sweep in and give us a miracle or a better outlook on life. We want a reward for the good things we’ve done in the past. We want a change immediately.

But God has perfect timing, and we need to trust in his plan. Let us pray for a patient attitude when we feel we’ve been waiting on God a long time. We must remember that God has not stopped loving us or forgotten us. God doesn’t need us to be patient so we can learn to be “better people;” He wants us to have an attitude of patience because it reflects a dependence on him.

The Wrong Attitude - The Bible tells us there is a wide range of attitudes that are sinful: jealousy, lust, anger, to name a few, but the point is not trying to avoid those attitudes. Christianity is not about “do not’s” on a list. The point is that we prayerfully respond to situations in life and ask our community to pray for us as well.

A Godly attitude doesn’t come because you decide to smile harder. A Godly attitude comes because you decide to follow God. You get to have bad days, but, as Christians, we get to have the hope of a better one.

Final Thoughts - As Christians, we’re called to view our lives through a lens of faith, and in return, we are meant to show the world an attitude that boasts of Jesus. We’re not called to be perfect beams of sunshine all the time. Life is tough, and our response to that is what draws us closer to Christ. Through prayer and spending time with him, we can change our attitudes.