Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace

[jerry ralph]

“Happy is the man who has broken the chains which hurt the mind, and has given up worrying once and for all.” OVID

“Needless worry can be silenced by accepting the things we cannot change.”
Author unknown

“Do not worry then saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:31-34 NAS

I didn’t come into recovery with my pockets full of money, a social life that was full of friends, and good standing in my community. I came in with a broken spirit, much of my stuff in the pawnshop, and I was rejected by many of my so-called friends. I was on probation for 5 years, had my driving privileges revoked for ten years, and was left riding a bicycle everywhere at 52 years of age. That is what I would not call a picture of success. On top of everything else I was worrying about picking up the bottle and syringe and going back to my old life style. I wanted to quit forever, but realized that forever was too big of a chunk of time deal with. I was familiar with the AA slogan “One day at a time,” but found difficulty living life one day at a time. How can you live life one day at a time when you are worried about forever? In September of 1998 as part of my own program of recovery I started reading the Bible daily for inspiration and insight into the nature of my problems. Some how these scripture verses from the sixth chapter of Matthew got lodged in my heart. If Jesus said that I needed to concentrate on today then that is where the work needed to be done. I could see “One day at a time” all through Matthew 6:34. There was a tremendous burden lifted off of me when I realized that the Word of God and the program of Alcoholics Anonymous lined up together. The truth of the matter is that AA borrowed the one day at a time slogan from Christian sources. The complete version of the Serenity Prayer, which I am proud to say was written by a Missouri preacher named Rienhold Niebuhr, penned the term “living one day at a time.” Share this with me……………
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 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.
Amen

“Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace,” now there’s a bit of acceptance that takes some acceptance. Today may I be more accepting, and therefore willing to allow God to do for me what I could not do for myself……………….JRE

 

[AngelDove1]

Your a super blessing Jerry....
God favor you alway.

Thx again

 

[jerry ralph]

Your a super blessing Jerry....
God favor you alway.

Thx again

Thank you for your kind words.........You also are in God's favor..........jerry

 

[AngelDove1]

Thank you for your kind words.........You also are in God's favor..........jerry

 

[LoG]

One day at a time. What a life saving concept and yet it took me almost the whole first year in recovery to get a hold of it.

I found for me that the fastest way to peace was to thank God for the hardship. He didn't give me more than I could handle but enough to spur growth and reliance on Him.

 

[sdmsanjose]

What do you tell a young father that just lost (death) his 3 month old son?

He is angry at God but is trying to find out about Christ. His spiritual experience is with Natura and American Indian culture.

 

[LoG]

Last year my father was taken away very suddenly. At first there was the feeling that God was not being very fair and allowing us some time for the family to say goodbye. When they looked into the cause of death they realized that he had lung cancer. Knowing how much my father hated hospitals, medicine and doctors, I realize that God in His mercy did what was best for my father.
In our pain of the loss, we too often look at how the death affected us as opposed to what God may have been saving that person from. God knows what our potential future is and since we know He is Love and His reasonings are not always for us to know, we can still have faith that it was for the good of all even though those of us left behind cannot see it yet.

 

[AngelDove1]

Last year my father was taken away very suddenly. At first there was the feeling that God was not being very fair and allowing us some time for the family to say goodbye. When they looked into the cause of death they realized that he had lung cancer. Knowing how much my father hated hospitals, medicine and doctors, I realize that God in His mercy did what was best for my father.
In our pain of the loss, we too often look at how the death affected us as opposed to what God may have been saving that person from. God knows what our potential future is and since we know He is Love and His reasonings are not always for us to know, we can still have faith that it was for the good of all even though those of us left behind cannot see it yet.

Sorry for your loss.
God be with you and yours.