Articles
Your Will, Not Mine
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
(Lk. 22:42)
“God, give us grace to accept with Serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, taking, as Jesus did, 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.” This is the original full version of the popular “Serenity Prayer,” which is today used by millions. There are many lessons that we can learn from this prayer.
Most people want to be in control of everything in their lives. When a situation arises that threatens stability or the rhythm of life, it can be difficult to make the necessary adjustments. In essence, change is hard! The conclusion one needs to come to is that there is only One who is in total control, and that is GOD! Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God!” That is so contrary to today’s culture. We are constantly on the move, and it seems unnatural to pause to ponder the existence of God. If people are willing to do this, and accept His will for their lives, then the peace which surpasses all comprehension will be supplied (cf. Phil. 4:7) by the Giver of every good and perfect gift (cf. Jas. 1:17).
Throughout Scripture, God has told His people to be courageous. One of Moses’s last statements was, “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you” (Deut. 31:6). This is reiterated by the apostle Paul to Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim. 1:7). Ultimately, courage comes from trusting in the Lord and not on our incomplete understanding (cf. Prov. 3:5f). By following this proper focus, we can do the tasks that we are to do.
Sometimes we can find it difficult to know what to do. In those circumstances, the best option is—to pray. God offers knowledge and discernment to those that ask Him in faith (cf. Jas. 1:5ff). Furthermore, the Lord instructs us to look to His word for guidance. In Scripture, we find out how to live a righteous life (cf. 2 Tim. 3:15ff). This means we can make the right decisions in our lives!
The second part of the section seems so foreign to our daily lives, yet, it is so practical. We only have today (the present), yesterday is gone (the past), and tomorrow (the future) is not promised. No one is ever promised one second in this life (cf. Prov. 27:1; Jas. 4:13ff)! Jesus stressed the significance of focusing on today by saying, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34).
Lastly, we should realize that the embodiment of the “Serenity Prayer” points to Christ. It is strange to consider that at one moment, the will of Jesus was not aligned with the Father’s (cf. Matt. 26:39). However, Jesus submitted to the Father’s will because He was obedient (cf. Heb. 5:8). Therefore, due to His perfect submission and faithful obedience to the Father, we have the hope of eternal salvation (Heb. 5:9; cf. Acts 4:12). Submission requires humility. C.S. Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” Whenever in doubt, look at Christ as our example.
Remember the words of Christ, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33). Jesus overcame, so we can too!
