Early days of flying a Cessna 152
Attitude determines altitude! I bet you have heard that saying before. When I was in my early 20’s before I met Cathi, my future wife, I took flying lessons in a Cessna 152 at Jandakot airport in Perth. I completed solo after 10 hours and was excited by the different exercises that I had to complete both practical and theoretical. The cockpit instrument panel looked somewhat similar to the picture above. The yellow arrow indicates an instrument that looks like a plane flying on a horizon with the sky in blue and ground coloured by the brown lower half. This is called the attitude indicator or AI. It informs the pilot of the aircraft’s orientation relative to an artificial horizon. The pilot can tell whether the wings are level and whether the aircraft’s nose is pointing down below the horizon or above it. This is known as the pitch. So if the nose is kept below the artificial horizon then you will know that eventually, you will crash the plane if you keep that attitude down. If the nose is kept above in the blue section then the aircraft will climb.
Our attitude in life eventually determines where we are headed
So it can be seen that the attitude of the plane ultimately determines the plane’s altitude. The two indicators are related to each other but one factor determines the other. Attitude determines altitude. And this is such a good rule that applies to our personal life as well. Our attitude in life ultimately determines where we end up. If our attitude is pointed upwards and is positive then ultimately we will succeed and climb through life’s troubles and obstacles. If our pitch or attitude is down then eventually we are going to crash to the earth. It’s just pure logic. We must be determined to keep a good attitude in life. There are many troubles and problems in this life but it is not the troubles and problems themselves that determine what happens to us and whether we crash and burn. It is our perspective on life’s worries that counts for everything. And this is exactly what the Bible says as well. Jesus said to His disciples in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We can overcome the troubles of the world but it all depends on our attitude or your perspective! As we face trials and troubles, we should be maturing in wisdom and growing in patience. We should be seeing the fruit of the Spirit becoming more prevalent and growing.1 One aspect of this fruit is patience. Life’s experiences should teach us patience. Do you find yourself becoming more patient as you grow older or less patient? That should be a telling indicator of how you are really going and whether your pitch is up or down. Another way that we can look at this equivalent to the pitch down or up relative to the horizon analogy is that we either become bitter or better. Bitterness creeps in when our attitude is down whereas betterness is the result when our attitude is pointed up and we learn from life’s tough experiences. One of the ways I believe that we can have a good attitude is to have an attitude of gratitude in all circumstances. 1 Thess. 5:18: “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Be thankful in all circumstances
Gratitude –> Attitude –> Altitude. The secret really is to be thankful even when hard things come up. We all suffer hardships. We are not alone in this fact. And this quality of gratitude and patience is going to really come into its own during the very last days of this earth as we know it. As the craziness of the world reaches fever pitch with the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments in the last seven years, the unsaved world is going to be utterly dismayed and basically, they are going to throw in the towel. Their response will be to hide in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.2 They will wish to die because of all the things they are experiencing. Mankind will also turn to wickedness. It will be every man for himself. A good example of this is the recent ugliness of people in the Corona virus pandemic buying. Even many believers will fall away from the faith at this time3. So much for the doctrine of eternal salvation (OSAS).
The key is preparation
The key is training and to be prepared. When training to be a pilot, I remember the lessons I had to go through. I had to rely on my instruments and wear special goggles so that I couldn’t see out of the plane’s cockpit window, only the instruments in the cockpit. I had to rely on the AI instrument telling me whether my attitude was good or bad. It was a ‘by faith’ situation flying in the dark not knowing where I was going. It is similar for us too! The instruments are telling us what is ahead. In other words the Bible through prophecy tells us what is ahead and we need to keep a good attitude. Troubles are normal for all of us. Training and preparation are needed for the troubles ahead. That’s why we are being told ahead of time in how to navigate the awful circumstances in the future. I believe that we are seeing a glimpse of that at the moment with the pandemic but we ain’t seen nothing yet.
Get ready, be prepared, study the manual! The manual is no good unless you study it and are prepared for an emergency. A pilot always flies with the manual stowed away close by in the cockpit. How close is your manual today? When you are prepared and trained up, it is much easier to have altitude and to soar when others are sinking.
6 Responses
Yes, indeed! Attitude does determine altitude. I have learned that the older you grow the more patient and understanding you become. But, our manual, the Bible is the constant learning curve. Amen.
Well said Stella.
The bible certainly has the inspired words to comfort, guide and help us deal with the many issues and problems that come our way in life on earth.
Thanks Steve. An encouraging message!
Really enjoyed that message Steve. We didn’t know that you flew a plane!
Ed & Di
Thanks again Steve. I am loving these blogs.