Budzban: A simple prayer may help at difficult times

“One of you in trouble? He should pray.” #8212; James 5:13 (NIV)

Years ago, I was going through a very difficult time. It felt like my whole world was crashing down around me. I had lost my health, my job and close family members.

Some days I could hardly manage to get out of bed. One morning, as I lay on my side bundled up under the covers, I noticed a plaque on my dresser that was given to me by a friend. Bringing my vision into focus, I read the precious words written on it: #147;God grant me the serenity, To accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference.#148;

Those few words are known as the Serenity Prayer.

That simple prayer helped me get my life back on track. I realized there were some things happening at the time that I had no understanding for. There were a few things I did understand. And there were many times I needed some wisdom to know how to handle it all.

In life#146;s circumstances there#146;s our part to bring about a change and there#146;s God#146;s part. If everything was up to us, we wouldn#146;t need his miraculous intervention.

Since that day, I said that prayer many times. Not always in those words. Sometimes I just asked for physical and emotional strength to keep going forward. And, oftentimes, I prayed for the wisdom to handle a situation.

If you are faced with challenges in your life that seem too hard to handle; if you don#146;t know where to turn or seem to have lost all courage and ability, then start with a simple prayer to a loving, gracious savior #8212; Jesus who really hears our prayers.

Believe for things to change. Changes may or may not happen overnight. But we#146;re in a season where change is apparent all around us.

I still have many things I need to see changed, but I can see how the season of my life has changed starting with a simple prayer.

Ÿ Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted by email at Annetteebudzban@aol.com