Grant Me Serenity.

"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." You might regonize these words as the summation of "The Serenity Prayer." As I walk through my office, I can spot this "prayer" in various forms on the desks of many of my coworkers. But what does it really mean? Yes, there are things in all of our lives that we cannot change. And somehow, we have to learn how to accept those things. But what is serenity? Do we really know what we're asking for? Forget the last part of the prayer, and focus on the beginning - "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change." Period. We can never begin to ask for courage to change things in our lives until we can first accept the things that we cannot. With serenity. Not just out of necessity or by force. We technically have no choice but to accept the things that we cannot change in our lives. Either we accept them and try to move on, or we refuse to accept them and they run over us day after day. The result? We turn into roadkill that is marred over, and over, and over again, until we can force ourselves to roll off the road. Serenity. That's the difference between the roadkill sceanrio and the meaning of this well-known prayer. First, Serenity is the state or quality of being serene. Serenity is a quality. Just as much as being friendly. Or optimistic. Or shy. A quality. A way of living life - every day. Serenity. Second, the state of serenity is one of calmness, peacefulness, and tranquility. Serenity is a quietness of spirit - a way of peaceful living. Third, Serenity means the ability to be "unruffled." Like the Biblical example of the man who built his house on the rock. When the waves came, he was not taken down by the wind and the rain. He was unruffled. Serenity is the ability to look into the face of the most terrible storm, and to not be phased. Not be ruffled. Fourth, Serenity is to be clear. Not confused. Not foggy. Not discolored. Clear. You know exactly what's happening, and you're clear-minded about it. 2 Timothy 1:7 says "For we have not been given the spirit of fear, but of power. And of Love. And of a Sound Mind. Serenity is seeing your life and the instances in it for what they are. Clearly. And then to not be afraid of that reality. So when you're asking God to grant you SERENITY - are you really ready for it? Live a life of Serenity. Daily. No matter the obstacles. No matter the storms. We have no reason to live a life of chaos when we have a God who is alive. The Prince of peace. The Prince of SERENITY.