The Serenity Prayer — God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen. –Reinhold Niebuhr
We have all heard it, read it and maybe even earnestly prayed the Serenity Prayer. Reinhold Niebuhr wrote these words during the first half or the 20th Century which continue to have timeless relevance today. It contains both insight and emphasis of the inevitable ambiguity of life events. We spend most of our time working to control our circumstance to make life manageable. It is those things that we can’t contain, schedule or control that represents a challenge to our faith. Recognition that some things happen that we simply have no control over is a step forward in acceptance. Other situations occur where we can make a difference. It may mean stepping out of our comfort zone but as believers we were sent to be change agents to accomplish God’s Holy will. Knowing the difference is the key.
God has good plans for our lives and He can take all the experiences of our lives good and bad and work them together for our good. Walking life’s journey, we are compelled to put our trust in our Heavenly Father. The Serenity Prayer is focuses on the peace that we can have along the way.
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
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