We are all aware that there are some things in life that we have at least a limited control over, and there are some things that we cannot control at all. Learning to put our effort into things we can control is an energy saver.

The apostle Paul said he learned to be content with what he had (Philippians 4:11). Learning to be content does not mean we stay in one place regardless of what happens. It means we need to accept what we have as we also seek ways of improving our circumstances. We may or we may not be able to improve our situation.

A writer named Willa Cather observed: "I like trees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live than other things do." The Bible also seems to like the concept of a tree. Psalm 1:3 tells us a person who delights in the law of God is like a tree. Trees are strong and steady—a shelter in the storm. Be a tree that can bend with the wind and yet keep a strong grasp of the ground.