by Jerry Senn
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 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. (Trevor Hudson)
“Surrender is, among other things, the doorway to serenity. We would all like a serene life, but we were born into the wrong world for that one. Serenity requires surrender because if we live at the mercy of our ever-shifting and never-satisfied desires, we will be tugged and drawn in a hundred competing directions. Only full allegiance to a good greater than ourselves can give us a center and a focus. Serenity is not based on pleasant circumstances. Serenity is a by-product of finding a solid foundation on which to ground our life. It comes not when we master our outer world but when we surrender our inner one.” (Dane Ortberg, “Steps,” p 68).
(Note: “Jerry’s column” will resume in September, 2025)
God bless!