The Serenity Prayer

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. 
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 (new) 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.
-Reinhold Niebuhr

Most people stop at "difference", I did too til I knew there was more!  And the more is SO MUCH MORE.  Its important!  Those lines are the ones I find myself repeating more often, like...

living one moment at a time...
I so often find myself not living in THE MOMENT.  I'm either beating myself up over the past or living in the past hurt.  Or I am so focused on the WHOLE day, week, month planning that I ignore the PRESENT (which is a gift, remember!)

...accepting hardships as a pathway to peace...
oh boy...diapers can be a hardship...really they can be!  Rebellion in your child.  A detached family of origin, finances, addiction, death of a spouse or child...God works through all of that pain and suffering for HIS GLORY. Keep reading the prayer...

HE WILL MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT (NEW)...IF I SURRENDER TO HIS WILL.
This where I land and think hmmmmm...new.  New doesn't mean fixed, comfortable, managable in the present, the rest of the prayer indicates new as in eternity and that makes the most sense, that lines up with the book of Revelation.

Sometimes life is hard when the new isn't instant.  When the pain lingers.  When the hurts and betrayals resurface reminding us again to accept that hardship as a pathway to peace.  That pathway is, well exactly that...a path meant to walk through to heal.  I'm not going to lie, its not easy, its painful.  But our Hope is in Jesus Christ alone and he does promise to make all things new AND he promises to walk that pathway with you!  Keep walking.  Grab a cup of coffee and your Bible God is always ready and waiting to walk through life with you.  Have a blessed day!

NIV Revelation 21:5  "He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

NASB Deut 31:8 "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."