Circles of Concern Two

 

Yesterday, I shared with you the ancient prayer for peace within.  Join your voice with mine in praying these words: 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 hardship as the pathway to peace. taking, as Christ did, this sinful (read: broken, bruised, gone astray) world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that God will make all things right if I surrender to God’s will. That I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with God forever in the next. Amen.  

 

Part of what I love about the extended version of this prayer is that phrase, “reasonably happy”.  What a great invitation and invokes the question, “what is reasonable?”  We probably all have a different definition of reasonably happy.  For some people, reasonably happy means material things and vacations to exotic places; for another it might mean basic needs of food and shelter; and for still another just a new pair of flip flops!  I offer you this question to let rummage and roam around your life.  What does reasonably happy mean to you?  Are you willing to leave space that reasonable people can have different perspectives?  That one person’s understanding might seem foolish to another.

 

When I hear that phrase, “reasonably happy” I think of things like: eating my vegetables which always make me feel better, choosing kindness (even when I don’t wanna), and being open to God in the ordinary and every day.  What would it mean understanding that I don’t control everything, but I can control my reactions and responses.  It makes me think of Victor Frankl, who endured concentration camp during World War 2 and saw his family killed, Frankl wrote, “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.”  Sit with that for a moment.  Re-read it.  Frankl also wrote, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”  Go back, rewind, and re-read those two quotes. 

 

Your agency is found when we accept that within our control are words and actions; within our control is to be awake and aware of what is feeding and fueling life (is it fear or fascination); and that what we offer this world can be a peace, serenity, and wholeness.  To take this world with its brokenness and seek God’s prayerful will.  This is the prayer of my heart and hope for my life this day and this week. Amen.