Serenity, Courage and Wisdom

FROM OUR LAY DIRECTOR

Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ!! Do you remember this prayer? God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change… the Courage to change the things I can… and the Wisdom to know the difference. There are 3 words that jump out at me and maybe you. Let’s explore those 3 words one at a time.

Serenity, the state of being calm, peaceful, untroubled. Or the absence of mental stress or anxiety. Anyone out there “stressed out” about anything? I think that if we are honest with ourselves the answer is yes at some point in our lives. Some more often than others. But stress and anxiety abound in this world. So we (myself included) need to ask God (constantly) to grant us calmness especially when we just have to accept things/life/circumstances the way they are when we cannot change them. I believe this is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit…Peace!!!!

Courage, the ability to do something that frightens us! Trusting in the Lord as our true source of strength. I think of the times when I felt God say GO! And I say, me? And He says YES, YOU ! But I don’t……(you fill in the blank) because we have all been there. And God is with us every step of the way every single time. We (myself included) have to step out in faith when God asks us to go somewhere or do something that we are very uncomfortable about. God is with us (a song by King and Country). To step out in faith to do what HE has in mind for us to do. Whether it is changing myself (ouch) or something else. STEP OUT.

And then there is Wisdom: knowledge, and the capacity to make due use of it (Webster) or the understanding and knowledge that comes from a deep connection to one’s inner self and the divine. Hmmmm. Wisdom to know the difference between what I can change and what I cannot. In this prayer it’s not about how to change someone or something else. No, I believe it is about having the knowledge/wisdom to know the difference. Sometimes what I want to change is just not going to happen. At least not at this particular moment in time.

Lord I need you to help me know the difference. To feel the peacefulness of your love that is always within me. And to have the strong will to step out in faith when you ask me to. Amen.

John Lyons Kathy Otermat