I'm not a huge football fan, but while driving last week, I punched up the sports station and I heard part of an interview on the radio. The host was talking to NFL player Mario Williams, who plays for the Houston Texans. I only heard the end of the conversation. And at that point, the host was asking Mario how he handled all the negative publicity.

I was curious, so I later read that in his first year there was a lot of bad press and criticism over Houston signing North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams instead of USC running back and Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush as the #1 pick in the draft. However, Mario's excellent performance on the field has since silenced all the critics.

The host kept asking Mario how he handled it. What did he do with his mind? How did he not let all that bother him?

Mario then made a statement that I thought was a gem. He said, "If I can't control it, I don't focus on it."

That is a great habit to apply in so many areas of life. For example, can you control the price of gasoline? No. Is there something that you can do to cause the price of gas to be lowered? No. So, why stay focused on it? Why waste your time and energy thinking about it and talking to other people about it?

Have you ever noticed how it makes you feel when you either think about how high the gas prices are, or, talk to other people about it? Do you feel inspired? No. That's why it is a waste of your time and energy. The price of gas is out of your control.

How about the housing market? What about the stock market? Can you control those markets? No. So why stay focused on issues that you have no control over? Why waste your valuable time and energy worrying about things that you have no control over?

Here's a good one. Can you control other people's opinions of you? No. Then don't focus on it. As my children were growing up, I used to tell them over and over, "You can't please everyone, so stop trying to!" Again, why waste all that time and energy on something you have no control over?

On the other hand, we really ought to focus on the things that we can control. Since we have free will, we can control our own minds and then determine what we will think about and focus on. Well then, why not focus on what God has promised us instead of what the TV newsman is prophesying about every night?

Have you ever noticed that so much of the "news" is not new at all? So much of it is just the same old gloom and doom, repackaged for us. And how do you feel after watching some of that stuff? Are you inspired? Are you motivated? Why not put your focus, your trust, and your confidence in God? He has promised to supply all that you need. And, have you ever noticed that the promises you can read in Bible do not have disclaimers? There is no small print that says, "This promise of supplying all your need is available...unless the price of gas goes over four dollars!"

No, you won't find any disclaimers with God's promises. You won't find any "void where prohibited," or, "limited time only" offers. All God asks is that we accept His promises as true and believe them.

So, no matter what is going on around you, regardless if the markets are up or down, no matter what the price of gasoline is today, you can choose to accept and believe the promises of God. You can choose to stay focused on those, and be expecting to receive.

And, like Mario says, "If you can't control it, then don't focus on it!"