I returned from a 3 day Prayer Summit in Tuscarora, NJ - lots of great worship, teaching and plenty of time for prayer.  What I was most struck by was an emphasis this year on 'being".  It is so easy to be consumed with "doing" when in ministry because of the myriad of expectations.  Doing is important, yes essential.  But if doing precedes being, then doing is generally powerless, frustrating and draining.  One speaker talked about the early church practice of praying 3 times a day.  I'm not talking about a prayer before breakfast, lunch and dinner, but a real prayer time, probably an hour each time.  We wondered - what would our life be like if we intentionally set aside 3 times a day to pray?  There is a story of a community caught in a blizzard. You couldn't see to walk from your house to the barn.  People who ventured out became lost in theirown backyard and many died just feet from their doorsteps.  People would attach a rope from the house to the barn.  As long as they held onto the rope they could find their way back to the house in the middle of the storm.  I wonder if we were teathered to God like that throughout the day, if we would be able to weather the storms of life better?  I'm going to try it.  Why don't you?

The Serenity Prayer is arguably one of the most famous prayers.  Reinhold Niebuhr, Protestant theologian, adapted the prayer in 1943.  Some believe its origins can be traced as early as 500AD.  I don't know about that, but I do know this prayer has brought comfort to untold millions.  Here are a few of my reflections on the prayer.  Share your as well.

         "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;”

There are things in life we can’t change.  Life is sometimes difficult.  Yet through it all God says trust Him.  We are to give thanks in all circumstances – even those I can’t change. (1 Thess 5:18) So often I have to ask God to give me peace (serenity) that passes all understanding, even when I don’t understand the why.  (Phil 4:6-7)

                            “…courage to change the things I can;” 

If following Christ means anything, it means I am actively, intentionally involved in bringing change – into my life and into this world – which reflects the values of God’s Kingdom.  Joshua was at the edge of the promise land.  God could have just handed it to him.  You know – just have faith and receive? But God didn’t.  Joshua had to go forward and fight for it.  To do this, Joshua needed courage to accompany his faith.  God knew this and He commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:9)  There are issues in my life that I often must change.  I pray in faith, but I must act with courage.  “Courage to change the things I can” is simply “putting feet to your prayers.”  To carry this further – the Kingdom of God is built on justice and righteousness. (Isaiah 9:7)  Sometimes it takes courage – lots of it – to bring justice where there is none, righteousness where there is none.  Ask Martin Luther King or Rosa Parks.

                              “…and wisdom to know the difference."


The most difficult thing is knowing when we are called to fight for something and when God says – my grace is sufficient for you.  I held on too long to a dream which consumed much of my life.  I prayed.  I actively made decisions which would have, should have altered my circumstances to bring this about.  But in the end, it wasn’t God’s will.  Oh, to have had the wisdom to have known and accepted this 20 years earlier. It could possibly have altered the trajectory of my life.  I’m not talking about sin areas, habits, addictions.  God never grants serenity to be at peace in sin.  But there are many times God closes doors, changes our paths, allows hardship.  Some I can change.  But some I can’t.  As James was writing to Christians who were suffering hardship he said.  James 1:5 (NIV) “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”  

"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."

This is a prayer worth praying.

As an interesting aside, Niebuhr extended the prayer.  Here is his complete text.


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.

--Karl Reinhold Niebuhr

Peace,

Rob