Pathway to Peace

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 He 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.

My coworker and friend, Patti, and i were talking the other day. About things we struggle with. And she said that one thing that helps her is reciting the serenity prayer (above). It's most commonly recited in AA meetings, but why not use it in everyday life--to get through everyday struggles. Acceptance. When things don't make sense. When we wonder what God is up to. When it didn't work out the way we planned. Acceptance. When we receive unexpected news. News that triggers us--reminds us of the past. The hurt. Acceptance. When there is nothing left to do but trust. Trust in His timing. Trust in His plan. Trust in his faithfulness. In his goodness. You see, He wants the best for us.

The Lord called me into a place of rest this past weekend. I traveled to Saluda, NC. I was in the mountains, at a christian-based retreat center of sorts. He called me into the quiet. He called me into the tiniest chapel that overlooked magnificent trees that reached to the heavens. On the chapel door it says "Matthew 6:6." (But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your father, who is unseen. Then your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.....your father knows what you need before you ask Him. ) I felt so encouraged to do this more often. Get alone with the Lord. Really get alone with Him. I want to encourage you to do the same. Get alone with Him. His grace is almost tangible when we get alone with Him and invite Him into our lives. It's in the quiet that we realize the hardships have been the pathway to peace.