How often do I let my circumstances dictate my attitude? Fairly often, if I am honest.

In Philippians 4: 11-13, Paul says, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Linda Dillow, a former missionary, writes, “True contentment is separate from our circumstances. Contentment is a state of the heart, not a state of affairs…When we are confronted with negative circumstances, we have a choice: Will we pray about the problem or will we worry about it?”

Linda Dillow goes on to say in her book, Calm My Anxious Heart, that we must practice this kind of attitude. Practice is boring, not fun, and must be done over and over.

Philippians 4:9 tells us we are to practice praying and thinking on the positive rather than worrying and being negative.

Whatever you are confronted with or facing this week, try practicing the following suggestions from the book I mentioned above.

Here they are summarized:

  • Choose to give your anxieties to God
  • Choose to pray rather than worry
  • Choose to be thankful
  • Choose to dwell on positive, not negative

Finally, I will leave you with a quote from a mother who spoke truth to her complaining daughter:

”Two women looked through prison bars

One saw mud, the other saw stars.”(Calm My Anxious Heart, page 26)

Dear Lord, may we practice contentment. May we see stars not bars. Let us recount all you have done for us. May we be known as women who seek you, trust you, and praise you. Help us overcome our negativity and choose to let our lives be dictated by You rather than our circumstances. Let us we fix our eyes on you and our eternal home rather on all that is circumstantial and temporary. May we memorize Philippians 4:4-13 and let it repeat in our thoughts. Amen.