Jesus prepares us for change by giving us the strength and courage to push forward and change the things we can for His good. Everyone has things they’d like to change about themselves and their lives. We can look around and see things we would like to change in this world. I just sat up a little taller in my chair. Be on guard against spiritual dangers (is Satan stealing your serenity?), stand firmly on your faith in Christ, be ready to face difficulties (no shrinking back!), and summon up the strength of Christ. I love how direct Paul is in his instructions. “Be on your guard stand firm in the faith be men of courage be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13 NIV.Give me the Courage to Change the Things I Can Trusting God to do His work in our lives will bring serenity. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV.Īccepting God’s plan is the only way to find peace when we find ourselves in situations that are out of our control and unable to change.He reveals his secret for contentment in verse 13- claiming Jesus’ strength- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (NKJV) Accept the Things I Cannot Change This message from Paul puts the exclamation point on how he trusted God in all his life’s circumstances- good and bad. “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11 NIV.But He reminds us we can still claim His peace amid troublesome times. Oh yes, we know trouble and it’s comforting that Jesus tells us to expect it. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.We also have the gift of Christ’s peace in this world. God’s peace in our lives can give us a spirit of serenity and freedom from any inner or outward disturbance. There are so many verses in the Bible which speak about peace. Then, Paul says, our hearts and minds will be guarded by God’s peace! Serenity Prayer Meaning Line by Line Grant me the Serenity When worries and concerns invade your thoughts, practice immediately turning them into prayers.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. One which comes to mind is Philippians 4:6-7. We won’t find the Serenity prayer in the Bible, but we can find many Bible verses which uphold its essence. Pin me for later! Where is the Serenity Prayer in the Bible? It is more often quoted and used in its shorter form: I had never seen this version before, but it adds much wisdom to the short version. Niebuhr published this expanded version of his prayer in 1951. ( The Complete History of the Serenity Prayer () The Full Serenity Prayerĭr. It then spread to other literature, its use by Alcoholics Anonymous, and its inclusion in a prayer book issued to Army chaplains in 1944. He first used it in his sermons in the 1930s. Reinhold Niebuhr, wrote the Serenity Prayer. Who Wrote the Serenity Prayer?Īn American theologian, Dr. It’s hard to accept these things that we can’t change.īut the beauty of this prayer is how we can come to a place of serenity and peace instead of confusion or anger. There are circumstances in our lives- illness, job loss, losing a loved one, etc.- that are out of our control. We need God’s help and strength to make it a lasting reality. Is it possible to attain a state of serenity? Yes, but not on our own. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? The state of our world right now seems the complete opposite. Serenity is a state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. He has a wonderful plan for us to rest in His mindset, peace, and wisdom which brings us the serenity we crave. God sees what we have been dealing with these past many months. It gives incredible Biblical wisdom on dealing with difficult circumstances. Maybe that’s why this old prayer touched me so much. It’s even harder to rise above all the noise and discover ways to make lasting, positive changes. We can get caught up in reading, listening, and responding to it. Our 24 hour access to internet, television, radio, and social media make it hard to get away from all the bad news, disagreements, unrest, and uncivil discussions happening around us. Let’s break down the meaning of the Serenity Prayer and see how we can apply it’s comfort to our own lives. It’s a well-known prayer that asks God for His help in achieving what many of us are craving right now- the comfort of His serenity. I’ve seen it many times but hadn’t given it much thought. The Serenity prayer crossed my path recently.
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