Serenity Prayer Part One

God grant me serenity...peace...shalom...wholeness.
God grant me, because I can't find it on my own.
The peace cannot be purchased and doesn't come packaged.
It isn't found even at the bottom of this ice cream container or with the swipe of the credit card or all the other ways I am constantly and continually told I might find it.

God grant me serenity...peace...shalom...wholeness.
Because I cannot control or cling to this promise, this gift, this presence of You.
Even though the church has tried for ages.
Even though we have parceled and preached that we have the answers.
Even though all our words fall silent when truly in the presence of You, O God.

That is peace which surpasses understanding.
That is serenity which swirls where it will...like the breeze from two days ago.
That is shalom and wholeness, because I realize I am fully loved and called to love fully.

So, I need peace especially in the face of things that I cannot control.
All the scenarios swirl around of what might be awakening unease.
All the voices that clamor for me to "lead" and "succeed" and "keep on climbing...don't question."
Because if I stop midstream...or mid-sentence, what kind of blog post would that be?

God grant...because I cannot.
God grant me...because I need You every hour of every day.
God grant me serenity...because it flows forth from you.
God grant me serenity to accept what I cannot change.
Those ten words are enough for me to live and lean into today.

Amen.