Have you ever tried to control things in your life that you cannot control? The Serenity Prayer is a gift from God that teaches us how to separate those things in life that we can change, from those things that we cannot change. The Serenity Prayer goes like this:
God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can change, and the Wisdom to know the difference. -- Reinhold Neibuhr (1926)
To me, the Serenity Prayer is the answer to all stressful situations in life. Let’s take a look at the power of the Serenity Prayer.
Think of an adversity in your life that either you worry about, or makes you feel anxious or stressed. Can you control it? If so, what can you do? Can you change it in any way? If so, how? If you answered “no” to both of these questions, perhaps you need to accept it and let it go. That’s right, let it go. And let me tell you why. If you don’t, then you have two choices in life, and here they are. You can either 1) accept it and let it go, or 2) you can get sick. That’s right, you can get sick. If there is absolutely nothing that you can do about it, you MUST learn to accept it and let it go. Getting sick will not change the situation in any way. It will only bring you down. Possibly even depressed. And there is nothing on this earth worth getting depressed or anxious over. No matter what it is, even the death of a close family member, it is the only way that you will be able to achieve peace of mind and move on with your life. The choice is yours!
I’m not saying that you have to like whatever happens to you. I am saying that you MUST learn to accept it for what it is, and let it go. As hard as it may be, it is necessary in order to move on with your life.
Life is very precious and short. We only have so much time on this earth to spend with those whom we love and admire. Why waste any time worrying about those things that we cannot control. That’s why the prayer asks God to grant us the Serenity (peace of mind) to accept those things that we cannot change, and the Courage (strength) to change those things that we can change.
The last part of the Serenity Prayer asks God to grant us the Wisdom (knowledge) to be able to know the difference between those things that we can change from those that we cannot. This is a crucial part of the prayer. Without this we will never be able to know in our hearts if we were able to change it or not. Not sufficiently knowing this can cause us unnecessary grief and guilt in our lives.
I hope that you will consider using the Serenity Prayer every time you find yourself worried, anxious, or stressed. I guarantee that God (as you understand Him) will hear you and that He will grant you the Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom to get you through your adversities.
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"LOVE" devoid of self-gratification, is in essence, the will, to the greatest good...of another.
Through working with my sponsor and reading various spiritual and recovery materials, I have found that I have to treat ALL situations in this manner. I cannot change people, even in my own household. By praying UNSELFISHLY, as the serenity prayer suggests, I open up my attitudes and spirit to the power of change. If I don't change, I can't expect anyone or anything else to. The most important way I can change, in all things, is to have an attitude of acceptance and forgiveness.
Many people view this as being a 'dorrmat'. But it is exactly the opposite. It is claiming my own power to change, and doing so in order that I might become a better person. Keeping my own side of the street clean is my own responsibility. And a simple change in attitude is often all that is required.
Wow, did I ever need to read this one today. I have been going through a lot of free floating anxiety, about so many things, and from that subtle anxiety sitting on the back burner, when something, anything happens, like something changing, and not on schedule, then I am getting Wacked with, well the back burner anxiety blossoms into fear.
Last week, two things happened, the back of a temporary Bridge started breaking off, called the dentist, and yes was in the next morning and everything was fixed, the new permanent Bridge is in. Yeah.
Then I got a call from the woman that has my puppy, and she was telling me that she had a family emergency, and could her husband bring my new puppy here, two weeks early, without the committed shots, and all that was happening in the next two weeks. Did have to say no, the reason, which I had already discussed with her the previous week, is that I had been very sick with a virus, the kind that knocks you out and keeps you in bed for 8 or so days. And I am now just getting better, one day at a time.
I did not want to begin my relationship with this new precious puppy, in this physical condition.
So, both situations were simply Life doing it's own thing, as we make our plans, always have to laugh at that one. So, why all the worry, and a lot of worry about what??? Good question.
But what was the very upsetting to me, was the snapping like a rubber band, over and over, was this fear, fear of what, cannot answer that. And I have been doing a lot of Praying, asking God to give me the strength to first, just keep getting better, and that seems to be working well.
But this Alke had completely put out of her thoughts this simply Serenity Prayer. It covers all of the above. The courage to change what I can, accept what I cannot change, and the Wisdom to know the difference. And then, LET IT GO. There is the Answer.
So this Serenity Prayer will be on my Refrigerator, in a few minutes, and I will be using that Prayer, the most effective Prayer of all, when we are going through these very tiny little details of our own lives.
Interest, how when the MAJOR Stuff comes up, that we absolutely cannot HANDLE on our own, this Prayer is an AUTOMATIC THING. We go to God and Cling to the Concept of God guiding us through all the Really Rough Times, hold on for dear life and we make it, with His Help, and we know, deep inside that it is God, that is carrying us. Never for a second to we or I question that.
What is the saying, it's the little Ankle biters, we need to watch out for.
OK, now I have vented all my personal problems, and to whoever is still reading, Thanks a lot for letting me get this out this morning, and wow, do I now feel back on track.
Thank you Phil, as usual, you seem to come up with so many answers for so many, hope that we can be there for you too, when you need us.
I love how syncronicity works. I got a call from my adopted son this morning. He's hitting five meetings today. After about ten years of sobriety, he went out for more research.He got a DUI that very first night (his first one), and started going back to meetings. He called to tell me that for the first time, he really felt the Serenity Prayer this morning, and had a blessed spiritual experience. He suddenly knew, he was in the right place, and no matter what happens, the important thing is that he keeps the program in his heart. Everything else in his life is secondary to the program. There's other jobs out there, other houses out there, and no matter what, his sobriety is first. That's been the best phone call I've had in a month. The Serenity Prayer in action...wren
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"Never argue with an idiot... They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience..."
Hope everything works out ok....