The Prayer of Serenity

(Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr) God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that You will make all things right, If I surrender to Your will, So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen. I remember as a small child and as a young adult having many meals at Grandma Pauline's house. On the wall in her kitchen near the dinner table was a wooden plaque that inluded the first verse of the Serenity Prayer. It is my understanding that the author of this famous prayer was a pastor and had written this verse as part of one of his sermons in the 1930's or 1940's. I think about this prayer from time to time, and when I do, I am reminded that there are some things in this life that we cannot change. On the other hand, there are many things that can be changed in this world, if we have the courage to change them. We must first have the wisdom to know the difference between the two, or all of our efforts will be futile as we pursue our own agenda. We must also remember that Jesus has promised us that He will always be with us. Matthew 28:20 (KJV) "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Dear Friend, have you trusted Jesus to grant you peace and serenity in this world? Have you trusted Him to guide you today in all of your efforts? God has a holy and perfect will for our lives, which we must desire and pursue, if we want to find true happiness and contentment. What a wonderful promise it is that He will always go with us, even unto the very end of this life! Blessings, Peace, and Serenity to You, Dave Henry