Recently someone called my attention to the Serenity Prayer
which most of us know and have prayed:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t
change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
This prayer
is a very Biblical approach to life—accepting life events that we can’t control. Jesus taught us, “In this world you will have
troubles …” --John 16: 33a. We can’t keep difficulties away. They will come. Some troubles we cause ourselves. But many happen just because we live in an
evil and fallen world. Job 5:7 reminds
us, “Mankind is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.” It is irrational to suppose that we will escape
trouble.
But Jesus
didn’t leave it there. He said in the 2nd
half of John 16:33, “…But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the
world.” Christ’s Resurrection has
unleashed God’s power into the world.
Christ is alive and his resurrection power working in us will help us
overcome trials. Christ will strengthen
us to endure. “I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me.” –Philippians 4:13.
God will help
us be strong in the time of testing. “God
is faithful and will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the
testing will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure
it.” –I Corinthians 10:13. This means that in Christ I will come through
trouble and not be overwhelmed by it.
His strength will always be sufficient for my need.
So, we are
overcomers. Nothing can defeat us. Christ’s power is sufficient!
By the way,
there is more to the Serenity Prayer. It
ends with,
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 happily in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen
--Ken
Shick, Interim Pastor
