Remember, riches are far more than just money.

Today I will:

• be happy with what I already have
• reject the feeling that I need to "keep up with the Joneses”
• acknowledge that having Jesus in my life is more than enough

Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6 (KJV)

What is your motivation for excelling in your work? Do you feel driven to succeed so that you can afford that bigger car, house, or television set? Are you hoping that your next promotion and raise will finally allow you to catch up with your bills and start to pull ahead?

It is interesting to note that Jesus never told us we had a choice between serving God and the devil, but rather that we could serve either God or worldly wealth-in other words, money. Do you find yourself worrying more about paying your credit card bill than praising God for His blessings in your life? Do you find that you are more motivated to get that next raise than to please God? If so, perhaps you need to reconsider for a moment who is really your master.

Those who are truly successful financially have learned one thing: The only way to keep money from mastering you is to master it. They don't let money force them to work longer than they need to or keep them away from their families; they have learned to be content with what they have now, while also working industriously in the time they are on the job. They use their money to build stability for the future rather than buy luxuries for today that will put them into debt. They look at their families, their peace of mind, and the joy of not owing anyone else and call it a blessing from God.

Is it time for you to get out of the rat race? The first step is to learn to be content with what you already have and avoid getting sucked into the game of always needing more.