2020 Daily Devotion - Day 150

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The Serenity Prayer – written by Reinhold Niebuhr


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 this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right 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.

How can we come to the place where this prayer is lived out in our lives? The Apostle Paul’s writing to the church in Rome gives us the answer:
 
Romans 8:5-7 RSV
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, indeed it cannot.
 
To live according to the flesh means to be the one in control of my life and relying on my own strength. To live according to the flesh means to live in ways outside of the will of God. Paul says when we do this, it leads to death. But to live according to the Spirit means to desire God’s will to be done in my life. He is the one in charge of my life. And when we live according to the Spirit, we are promised peace. It is the peace to which Reinhold Nieber is referring in his prayer. It is a serenity that can get us through these trying times.

Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, too often we want to be in control, and it leads to a type of inner death. However, when we follow Your leadership in our lives, we experience greater peace. Help us to surrender and set our mind on Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
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