A Pathway to Peace: Praying the Serenity Prayer

A Pathway to Peace: Praying the Serenity Prayer
Pastor Steve Anderson | 1.31.24

“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.”

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971:)

“O God and Heavenly Father, grant to us the serenity of mind to accept that which cannot be changed, courage to change that which can be changed, and wisdom to know the one from the other through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.”

“Serenity” Def: the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. Peace.

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace – shalom –  all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! 

Shalom = “complete or perfect peace”

The Serenity Prayer …. helps us in starting conversations with God in a number of critical areas:

God, Grant me / Allow me / Give me the Serenity/Peace so that I have the ability to……..

To what I cannot change 

Accepting Includes letting go of offenses….letting go of the past:

Philippians 3:12-14 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace (shalom), which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace (shalom) will guard/keep your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus 

Includes letting go of guilt and shame 

Hebrews 8:12 And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.

To one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time;

Matthew 6:34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. 

To as the pathway to peace

James 1:3 “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow”.

Acts 14:21-22 After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, 22 where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.

Philippians 3:10 “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death”

“Acceptance” is another word for “Submitting.” 

To , as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it 

Another instance of accepting what I cannot change but being part of changing what God can!

To that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work… together…. for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

To be given to change/DO something about the things I CAN.

 – Starts a conversation with God to speak to you about what those things are!

– Ask for courage to do or change the things you can….courage that comes from knowing:

Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

– Acknowledge that apart from Him, you cannot do what you must….that He his your source:

Psalm 62:11 God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: “Power, O God, belongs to you;”

There is serenity…peace that can be ours when we entrust things in His capable, loving, gracious care!

To learn or receive – wise-ness  -to know which one you need.

To REST in the serenity….peace that comes from the  PRIINCE of Shalom.

Peace that comes from walking through this life with the PRINCE of SERENITY.

So that:

“That I may be happy in life,

And happy with Him forever in the .”

NOTES

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