Serenity

Linking up with Holley Gerth

 

Beloved what does serenity mean to you? Immediately, I thought of 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.

For years attending Overeater”s Anonymous, this prayer said at the meeting became a cornerstone to me.  Are there areas or things in your life that you are unable to change? Perhaps your spouse is not a Christian, your child has autism, you are divorced, you are single, you are ill with fibromyalgia, you have migraines, you have cancer, your adult child is wayward. How do you accept the things that you cannot change? For me I keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep on keeping on.

Change the things I can is pretty self-explanatory but very difficult sometimes. For example, if I change my diet and remove gluten to see if that would help my headaches. Beloved, what do you need to change? Perhaps the only thing you can change is to forgive someone and give your pain to God. In Matthew 6:15 it is very clear on forgiveness, “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” These words I choose to forgive ______ for________and it made me feel___________. We need to get to the core of the emotion or the feeling or forgiveness is not complete.

The last part of the prayer wisdom to know the difference. King Solomon when he first became King asked only for wisdom and because of this God rewarded him with riches, 2 Chronicles 1: 10-12

“Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of Yours?”God said to Solomon, “Because you had this in mind, and did not ask for riches, wealth or honor, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may rule My people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings who were before you has possessed nor those who will come after you.”

Beloved we need to pray and spend time in God’s word. Convicted recently that reading a prayer request, thinking about the person is not the same as going before the Lord with a concentrated effort and praying.

A prayer of one overwhelmed with trouble, pouring out problems before the LORD. LORD, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea! Psalm 102:1

As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. Jonah 2:7

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. 1 Chronicles 4:10

This serenity prayer authored by American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr .

Beloved, we miss out on serenity because we do not seek the peace that God offers. We worry filled with anxiety when God tells us much about anxiety and worry in Matthew 6: 34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Beloved, in what ways do you lose serenity, in what ways do you find serenity?

Father God, you are the alpha, the omega, the beginning, the end, you are the author of peace and serenity. Every day as we approach the day we need to give our day to you and seek our assignment form you. You are at work around us and each of us has a job that you want us to do give us courage to do the work your are asking us to do. Help us to give you the things that we are worrying about. I pray for the woman whose husband has left her, restore her serenity. I pray for the mother of the child with autism give her wisdom, help her find a circle of friends, the right doctor. I pray for those of us suffering with chronic illness give us strength for the day and serenity when healing does not come and rejoicing when there is a good day or healing, Lord, I pray for that woman reading this that has a husband who is not a believer and I ask that you give her strength, I ask that she can win her husband without a word just with love from her countenance. I pray for the woman who is single that she will serve God and have serenity with her life. Lastly Lord, I pray for the woman suffering with any form of cancer, bring healing and serenity in her life. Lord, let us walk in forgiveness and love. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen