“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.”
~ Reinhold Niebuhr
I came across a bookmark with this prayer on it and loved it so much I decided to post it on my blog. I have seen a shortened version with just the first sentence several times, but the rest of it is just as good. A couple comments on why it resonates with me so much:
- It acknowledges the tension between personal development and contentment. I am very interested in conscious growth spiritually, physically, mentally, and socially. However, I also realize the benefit of accepting myself the way the Father made me. But, did the Father make me with or intend me to live with the physical or motivational flaws I have, or should I seek to change these aspects of my physique and personality?
- It exalts the concept of living in the moment. When I was in my teens, I had many idealized dreams about my future. Sometimes this was because I did not like myself and so liked imagining a time when I would be a world-class performer, speak to thousands of people, and write books that would change the world. Unfortunately, this idealized future focus caused me to apply myself less in the present. I now try to view each week, each day, and even each moment as special and be grateful for every breath.
- It recognizes the role of suffering as the precursor for greater peace and joy. Philosophically, peace and joy do not make a whole lot of sense without suffering. If we did not have painful experiences to compare them with, we would not look at peace or joy as something special, but just as our ordinary experience.
- It implies that fighting the world is not our calling, but rather surrendering to His will. Christians are called to follow the Christ’s commandments. Principally, this involves loving YHVH with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself. Judging others is usually a reactive attitude, whereas loving others is a proactive behavior
- It recognizes that the ultimate goal in life is to find personal fulfillment or happiness. This is true of the here and now and also of eternity. I, too, want to be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Halleluyah!
This prayer really encapsulates my existence right now. Perhaps you would be blessed by thinking about it and making it your prayer as well.