when we are going through tough
times we come to GOD and we want an explanation but the truth is explanations
never comfort us.
some of you have had pain in your past and through reading or therapy or counsel or talking with friends, you’ve figured out why certain things happened in your life. did that comfort you? no. it gave an explanation. it gave you wisdom. but it didn’t relieve the pain.
explanations rarely comfort us. that’s why when GOD lets you go through a situation, HE doesn’t always explain it. instead of offering an explanation, HE offers himself. HIS presence. because what you need when you’re in pain is GOD’s presence not an explanation. and GOD has said I will be with you always. I’m always with you. I care about you. you will never go through anything on your own.
this is the first step to the prayer of surrender. YOUr kingdom come, YOUr will be done. GOD, i want YOUr plan in my life.
many people pray the serenity prayer. millions of people pray the serenity prayer on a daily basis. but did you know that the serenity prayer has been edited. it has been shortened. most people only know the first three lines. the actual prayer has eight more lines and that’s where the power is.
“GOD, grant me the serenity to accept the thing i cannot change, the courage to change the things i can, and the wisdom to know the difference. living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, taking as JESUS did, this sinful world as it is, not as i would have it; trusting that YOU will make all things right if i surrender to YOUr will so that i may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with YOU forever in the next. amen.”
the rest of the passage explains a whole lot about the first. you’re not going to have the serenity of the serenity prayer unless you pray the rest of it. notice the words “accepting”, “trusting”, and “surrender”. and then “the pathway to peace”. those are the three things that bring peace. accepting, trusting and surrender.
just a thought from the front porch…
some of you have had pain in your past and through reading or therapy or counsel or talking with friends, you’ve figured out why certain things happened in your life. did that comfort you? no. it gave an explanation. it gave you wisdom. but it didn’t relieve the pain.
explanations rarely comfort us. that’s why when GOD lets you go through a situation, HE doesn’t always explain it. instead of offering an explanation, HE offers himself. HIS presence. because what you need when you’re in pain is GOD’s presence not an explanation. and GOD has said I will be with you always. I’m always with you. I care about you. you will never go through anything on your own.
this is the first step to the prayer of surrender. YOUr kingdom come, YOUr will be done. GOD, i want YOUr plan in my life.
many people pray the serenity prayer. millions of people pray the serenity prayer on a daily basis. but did you know that the serenity prayer has been edited. it has been shortened. most people only know the first three lines. the actual prayer has eight more lines and that’s where the power is.
“GOD, grant me the serenity to accept the thing i cannot change, the courage to change the things i can, and the wisdom to know the difference. living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, taking as JESUS did, this sinful world as it is, not as i would have it; trusting that YOU will make all things right if i surrender to YOUr will so that i may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with YOU forever in the next. amen.”
the rest of the passage explains a whole lot about the first. you’re not going to have the serenity of the serenity prayer unless you pray the rest of it. notice the words “accepting”, “trusting”, and “surrender”. and then “the pathway to peace”. those are the three things that bring peace. accepting, trusting and surrender.
just a thought from the front porch…
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