“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.”
Stop what you are doing and focus on serenity, courage, and wisdom. Let these three guide you throughout the week, month, or day so that you can make wise choices with a clear mind.
Serenity: tranquility, calmness, stillness. Despite what is thought that being still means doing nothing, it is quite the contrary. Being still doesn’t mean stand idly by and allow others or situations to wreak havoc in your life. You do, however, need to be still long enough in order to concentrate on your next move. People don’t plan to fail in their marriage or relationship, but they do however fail to plan. Know what you want, know what you will tolerate, know what is your limit, know when to be silent, know when to stand up for something you believe in. Before you make any decisions, clear your heart and mind from any bias or irrational behavior. Then approach “your storm” calmly. If you’re a Christian, the best approach before beginning any conversation with your spouse that may end up taking a turn for the worst, is to meditate on Proverbs 15:1 (“A soft answer turns away wrath”). Hold your head up, stand firm on beliefs, and reasonably go on to the next phase: courage.
Courage: audacity, guts, bravery. You have the power to change a lot of things within yourself. As free will provides others with choices to make their own decisions, you have to understand that you cannot change anyone’s life or mind, but you can change your own. You can boldly make a decision to do what is right, instead of always focusing on who is right or wrong in an argument. Who cares? Change your situation, and if you are financially incapable of doing so, start changing your mind and how you perceive your problem. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” Remember that motto? Be brave enough to trust that whatever calm decision you make, it will be for the greater good, and it will be because you made a conscious effort to step out of your comfort zone and take a stand. You don’t have to accept your spouse cheating on you. You don’t have to allow her to belittle you. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 1 Timothy 1:7
Wisdom: good judgment, incite, understanding. Knowledge is the awareness and comprehension of information. Wisdom is the next step in applying that knowledge. Have you noticed in textbooks how you’re given information about the subject, and then at the end of the chapter there are questions to test your knowledge… and then there’s a section to apply that knowledge? Perhaps they’ve incorporated a task for you to do in order to make sure you understand that particular subject. You will recognize that section as “Apply Your Knowledge” or something to that effect. This section is the wisdom portion of life. It’s great to be intelligent and knowledgeable on facts, but if you are not exercising good judgment or applying the knowledge you’ve learned…you are in a stalemate position of life. Understand what you know, and focus on making decisions that are not haphazard, but those that have purpose and meaning. “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7)
Individual results vary. In all your decisions for today, be strong, stand firm, be calm.
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