The Peace of All Peace

The Serenity Prayer:

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.

The long version of the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the Serenity To accept the things I cannot change,

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 he did, this sinful world as it is, Not as I would like it. Trusting that he will make all things right, If I surrender to his will. That I may be reasonably happy in this world And supremely happy in the next

From The 12 Steps of Recovery:

Step 3: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we

understood Him.

In pondering serenity, peace, considering ways I and many reading this have found none yielding to all sorts of temptations, lusts, so-called "gain" in terms of power, wealth, some level of fame, acceptance by others- then what?

The title track of our first Resurrection Band record "Awaiting Your Reply" (1978) contained a

phrase I penned "... and all your toys make you discouraged".

I never experienced deep peace within until I made peace with God. Nothing over more than 50 years has changed about this!

So as I ponder Step 3 I have found turning -my- will and life over to God and His care has

brought me both peace and the "reasonably happy" state in this world I had always wanted

but could never find but for my eventual surrender to my risen Savior Jesus Christ.

Again, this has not changed. Many decades later I still find deepest peace only in relationship with Him, His embrace, His Word and will.

In a shifting, changing, often turmoil-filled world laced with mean-spirited, vindictive

people who themselves carry their own addictions as yet not working with God in their own need of recovery, serenity -deep and genuine peace is for so many a mysterious sort of "banana" they continually chase and never quite reach. Such is maddening and indeed drives some mad.

It's a truly sad state of affairs but since Adam and Eve the storm-swirls of life keep

on keeping on.

The problem with addiction (among many!) is that until and unless one surrenders their will

and life to God, they are the focus of mind, emotion and decisions without the benefit of the only lasting love and Lover in all the universe being welcomed into the process.

He is THE PEACE. What a gift, such serenity in recovery!

As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn