Sunday morning — the pre-church rush. Things weren't going according to Chloe's plans that morning, and she decided to express her displeasure with a tantrum.

She screamed, she cried, she threw herself on the floor (which is a newly-discovered tactic for her).

I went to her and picked her up, trying my best to console her. While she was in my arms, she swiped her face across my shoulder several times. Various facial liquids, which I don't even want to think about, smeared across my fresh, clean, pressed white shirt. My very last fresh, clean, pressed white shirt.

I could have gotten upset. I could have ranted and raved, yelled and screamed. I could have let a bad attitude form and carry it around for the rest of the morning.

Instead, I realized that even though it was my last clean shirt, no one would even notice if I put my suit coat on. So, after Chloe was consoled, I put the suit coat on and went to church, attitude intact.

If you're like me, Sunday morning is usually the most stressful time of your week. Have you ever wondered why? Satan loves to use situations like the one I've just described to draw our focus off worshiping.

While we're trying to get ready to go to church and worship our heavenly father, Satan is trying to wreck our attitudes so we can't.

But knowing that is half the battle, isn't it? If you know Satan is trying to wreck your worshipful attitude, you can take steps to prevent it.

One such way is to follow Paul's advice to the church in Philippi: "Whatever is true . . . noble . . . right . . . pure . . . lovely . . . admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things" (Philippians 4:8).

Furthermore, Paul also tells the Philippians, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).

Why does Paul tell the Philippians to do this? Because he knows that when they do this, God will do something in return: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

God is worthy of our worship, but Satan is trying to destroy our attitudes so we don't worship God.

We must choose whether we'll let Satan do that, or if we'll follow Paul's advice, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Then we'll be able to give our heavenly father the worship he deserves.

Parrish Myers is pastor of Pine Crest Baptist Church in Gainesville. His column runs every other week in Sunday Life.