The first time I remember encountering the words of the “Prayer of Serenity” was on a plaque that hung on the wall of our home when I was growing up. When I learned to read, I could read those words myself and wonder what they meant. Since then, I have seen that same prayer many times on bookmarks and in needlepoint wall hangings. I have talked over the meaning behind that prayer several times with people. I have prayed that prayer and found it meaningful and reassuring. Just the other day, when visiting in someone’s home I was shown that prayer in a small frame that someone had in her cabinet. It was very meaningful to her. The words of that Prayer of Serenity are significant: “GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE. COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN. AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.” When we find ourselves greatly troubled about various circumstances, we can turn to our God in prayer and ask Him to help us to have an accurate picture about what we can and can’t do about what is concerning us. This can ease our swirl of emotions when we are feeling anxious about particular situations. It is a reality check to recognize that something is in the category of what we cannot change. However, our prayers need not end there. When we determine that there is something we cannot change, we can surrender it to God for what God will choose to do. The answers are not all up to us. God may engage other people or God Himself may intervene. This is where trust comes in. We can pray the Prayer of Serenity with sincerity and in doing so release into God’s hands what only God can manage. It is the choice to “LET GO AND LET GOD.” Scripture inspires us to trust God with what we can and cannot do when we read, “But I trust in Your unfailing love.” (Psalm 13:5) Please pause with us for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow October 18th at 1 pm when we will trust God in prayer with both what we can and cannot change.
Looking to God for the serenity of trusting Him with everything, Pastor Lola
Our God whose love is unfailing, we come to You again today. We find ourselves longing to be able to change various circumstances in our wider world and in our own lives. When we are confronted with the truth of what we cannot change, we would feel hopeless if it wasn’t for You. We need to release to You all the concerns that we carry. If there is something that we can do to bring about change that You intend, then we will need You to guide us in it all. Our prayer is for serenity to accept what we cannot change. May this not be us stepping away from what You want us to confront or to commit to change. May this not be us giving in to fear because the challenge seems daunting. When we have accurately determined through Your wisdom that there is nothing we can do about something, we do pray for peace over it. This will be Your gift of serenity in our hearts. Now we turn to this matter of having courage to change the things we can. Here God, we want to trust You for courage. Sometimes we cannot imagine being able to be an agent of change and so we do need Your courage. We need the wisdom You can provide for the timing and the means to bring about change. Our prayer is that we will keep our gaze fixed on you. It will only be as You enable us and give us courage that we can see things through. And God please do show us the times that You want us to work together for change. Give us attitudes of cooperation when others are also committing themselves to change. Knowing the energy and determination required to bring about change, again we declare our dependence on You. Is there something today that You want us to step forward to change. Is there something that You have been urging us to take on for some time? We trust You and Your unfailing love for us. We trust You Lord to know with clarity what we can and cannot do. When our assessment is flawed, please help us to listen to what You have to say. And God, we thank You that our ability to change something does not have the last word. For the things we have endeavoured to change and have been unable to change, we bring to You. For the things that we immediately realized they were too big for us, we bring to You. For the things and relationships we may have damaged in trying to change, we bring to You for restoration. For the ongoing need for peace in our world, we bring this to You. Thank You God that hope remains when we know our limitations because Your capacity and power is unlimited. Your unfailing love is likewise unlimited. We appeal to You to show us each day what it means to pray the Prayer of Serenity with sincerity and in doing so to let go and to let you God take complete control. This we pray in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.