"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." Philippians 4:11b (NIV)
Have you ever noticed how over-extending yourself tends to bring unwanted pressure into your life?
Recently God's been showing me that when I constantly want more than He has given me, it reflects a heart that is discontent. It's like I'm telling God, "I'm not satisfied with what You have provided for me. I want more."
In wanting more, I place undo pressure on myself in an attempt to get what God hasn't provided. Naturally, anxiety is the result when I focus on things other than God and His will for my life.
The pressure to have more and do more can lead us down paths we never intended. In our attempt to fill the vacuum of our empty souls, we discover that external luxury is only a cheap substitution for spiritual wholeness.
Finding contentment doesn't mean we have to like our current situation, but it may require an appreciation for it.
the fruit of contentment is developed when we are thankful for what God has provided whether we like it or not. That's because peace isn't the absence of pressure. It's the presence of God and our attitude toward His provision in the midst of our stress.
Being thankful doesn't mean that God will eventually remove us from our situation. He may; He may not. Rather, being appreciative sets us free from the desire to have and lets us rest in the riches of contentment. And when we reach a place of contentment, we don't need earthly riches galore.

I copied some of this from one of my daily devotionals, but  it spoke volumes to me and hit right where I needed it today, so I'm passing it on.


In my line of work, there is feast or famine. Sometimes you're really busy, sometimes you are slow. It always seems like when all the bills hit is in the slow time. And of course in the busy times you don't have time to enjoy the fruit of your labor. Either time, I try to be thankful. I try to be content. I know God will provide a way out in both situations. I know God will provide. Period. It's in the midst that I tend to lose sight of that. I tend to start stressing. New things pop up that steal my joy. Steal my contentment. And I hate to admit, most of my contentment is in those times when everything is smooth sailing. No problems. No worries. So, today I needed this. I "say" I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances, BUT, I want to really be content in whatever the circumstances. So, today I ask God to prop me up on my leanin' side. The side I'm leanin' toward discontent. Thank You, Jesus for all I have been blessed with. You alone are my Rock and my Provider. :)

Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old fellow who always prayed, 'Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side. 'After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently 
He answered, 'Well sir, you see, it's like this... I got an old  barn out back.  It's been there a long time; it's withstood a lot of weather; it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years. It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn't fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I've been around a long time.  I've withstood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, and I'm still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, 'cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times.
Sometimes we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred, leaning toward cussing, leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn't . So we need to pray, 'Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side, so we will stand straight and tall again, to glorify the Lord.''