Lent
– Day 9
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the
one who gains understanding. Proverbs 3:13
Before
I went off to college my mother painted a Serenity Prayer for me. It graced my
walls for years, providing guidance, encouragement, and conviction. God gives joy
to those who seek it…who want it. Jesus said…You haven't done this before (ask for anything in Jesus’ name). Ask, using my name, and you will receive,
and you will have abundant joy. John 16:24.
Serenity Prayer
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.
Accepting
things that you can’t change…like who you are.
Courage
is something that we all have to muster up at some point. When Jesus was
walking on the water His disciples couldn’t believe that it was Him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't
be afraid," He said. "Take courage. I am here!" Matthew
14:27. Jesus commanded them to take courage. He expects the same of us. Have
some courage—take charge of things…things that you can change in your life.
Have a place for everything…and put things in their place. Take charge…change
what you can. Ask God to give you the wisdom to know the difference between
those things that you can and cannot change. That Wisdom will certainly bring
you joy…a contentment with your life as you take control of the things that you
can control and release to God the things that you cannot control. Serenity. A
calmness to your life that will give you peace. Let the Holy Spirit guide your
life that you would have the fruit of the Spirit. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23. Are
you taking courage to change the things you can in your life…and letting go of
the things you cannot change?
Prayer
~ Holy Spirit, guide our thoughts, words and actions that we would have courage
to change the things in our lives that we can so that our lives would be
pleasing to the Lord. Show us how to deal with those things we cannot change…that
we would be willing to let go of them. Give us wisdom to know the difference
between what we can and cannot change—and fill our lives with joy.
© 2016 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT)
unless otherwise noted.
No comments:
Post a Comment