Find serenity in acceptance, courage and wisdom

“Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe you have received it, and it will be yours.”

— Mark 11:24 NIV

I was focused on cooking dinner and grabbed the handle on the fridge to get an ingredient when I caught a glimpse of a magnet that I had placed on the freezer door. I stopped what I was doing and read the simple three-line prayer known as “The Serenity Prayer.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone in and out of that fridge without giving it a glance. At that moment, I realized it was what I needed, because I was at loss for words to pray for a family member.

So, after dinner, I sat quietly and I prayed, “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.”

It’s not a prayer that comes from the Bible. But those three simple lines contain the beauty of biblical concepts that make it simple and perfect enough to change our insanity to serenity.

This prayer is so full of spiritual insight that it has been used successfully in addiction and recovery groups for decades.

It covers everything we need:

Acceptance: Some things we just need to accept and forgive. This reflects the attitude Jesus had in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39) as he struggled to accept God’s will for him to die on the cross for the sins of mankind. When we’re in places that seem unbearable to accept, we need to remember for God’s will to be done.

Courage: We can’t accomplish anything or move forward in life without change. But change often requires a courageous step out of our comfort zone. When God called Joshua to lead his people, he commanded him, “Be strong and courageous.” God knew Joshua was feeling anything but courageous at the time. So, God encouraged him to reject the feeling of fear and step out in faith that God would guide him.

Wisdom: We need wise discernment to understand what we need to change and what we have to accept. Many have become co-dependent, controlling or manipulative in their strong desire to solve their own problems. God promises in James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously…”

I hope you discover the serenity you seek as you use the biblical guidelines of acceptance, courage and wisdom from this prayer.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author of the book “Letters To A Friend,” speaker, life and writing coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com.