This may shock you, but I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude.

Perhaps you never realized that it was Jesus’ attitude of unselfishness that launched Him from the splendour of heaven all the way down to a humble manger in Bethlehem…and later to the cross of Calvary.

When all is said and done, you’ll say, “Honestly, I didn’t figure this thing out. It must have been God.” Talk about mysterious! The longer I live the Christian life, the less I know about why He leads as He does. But I am absolutely confident that He leads.

Take all the time you need to bring your life to God in prayer by listing out what is making you anxious. When you do He promises to replace your fears and anxious woes with a perfect peace to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Somehow the joy of the season remains that one gift we don’t open. Why? We usually blame our condition on the commercialism or on those overcrowded shopping malls. But the real reason our joy stays wrapped up? Our selfishness.

The Son proceeds from the Father like radiance from glory. Although one is distinct from the other, it is impossible for the one to exist without the other. There never was a time when glory existed without its radiance.

Father, thank You for a model like Paul. He wasn’t perfect, but he had an enduring determination and he persevered through adversity. He pressed on, in season and out of season. Give me the tenacity to do the same.

Discontent comes because we are focused on a particular prize we don’t yet possess. Being thwarted somehow creates discontent and anxiety. That means discontent is an inner indication that my mind is set on the wrong things.

A good way to think about contentment is Christ-sufficiency, not self-sufficiency.

As we share with God every worry that weighs us down, our circumstances may not change but we will. We begin to let Him carry the heavy loads that we can’t bear. We start to trust Him to handle the problems that we can’t control.