Saturday, February 23, 2013

THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

   God, grant me the courage to change the things I can;
and the grace to accept the things I cannot;
and the wisdom to know the difference.

   The above lines of verse are known as 'The Serenity Prayer'.   The Serenity Prayer is used by different '12-Step Programs'  such as 'Alcoholics Anonymous', to help the adherents to these programs cope with the struggles of everyday life, and the hindrances which might prevent these people  from getting free from whatever addiction they are seeking help with.,

   Several years ago, when I was taking a taxing cab ride, I had asked the cab driver how his day had gone.  He told me that the day wasn't bad, and that he wasn't going to complain about it
    I proceeded to tell him that I did not have anything to complain about that day;  in fact, I strive to live with a mindset that I DON'T have anything to complain about, EVER.

    How can this be?  Never have anything to complain about?  Is this just a fanciful, farcical notion?

    Not at all!  I believe that the question is how are minds are programmed and prepared to look at life.

   Let's examine in detail the lines of The Serenity Prayer.  Let's understand that the circumstances that we face in life will fall into two categories:
  • Those issues which we can do something about; and
  • Those issues which we clearly can not do anything about.
The first line of the Serenity Prayer says, "God grant me the courage to change the things that I can"

The are those circumstances in life that we definitely can have input in and we can change and alter these circumstances.  If we face issues that we can change, and refuse to do so, but complain about instead; we are engaging in a fools enterprise.  We are lazy if we are not lifting a finger to work on those issues that we can clearly do something about.  And the complaining that we are indulging in is nonsense!  It will only make us sour and miserable;  not dong anything at all about solving the problem.

     The second line in the prayer, asks God for the "grace to accept the things I can't (change)"

There are those issues which certainly we have no power to change at all.  Those are the circumstances that belong to God.  God has all power, and there is nothing too hard for him.  As for me, I HAVE A BIG GOD. He is bigger than life; and certainly bigger than ANYTHING I will ever face  I will trust those issues which I can't control to my big God.  I will trust his judgement and accept his verdict.  To offer complaints in the light of God's providence and sovereignty in the affairs of men is utterly foolish.

    The final line is the one I chose for the title of my post this evening:  "and the Wisdom to know the difference"  We all need God's wisdom to help us discern and sort the issues that we can and must effect change in; and the issues which we have no power whatsoever to change. We must accept those circumstances, and trust them to the hands of Almighty God.  

   If we can attain this discernment, and sort the issues and circumstances of life into these two categories; and accept the items I cannot change, and work to change those issues which I can, I can have a complaint free life, free from stress, and a HAPPY life. 

   

 

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