Agreeaable and Focused on Blessing

 JUST FOR TODAY – AGREEABLE AND FOCUSED ON BLESSING

Here’s a little principle that is worth our attention again today, I think.

Just for today I will be agreeable.  I will not criticize, not find fault, and not try to improve or control anybody except myself.  I will pray blessing on one person with whom I struggle to relate.

“I can’t control people, places, or things.” We hear this saying in recovery meetings and often repeat it to ourselves and yet, unless we feel in control, we struggle. 

Life often feels strange and undefined for us.  At times we will do whatever it takes to avoid that frightening place of exposure and helplessness and so we find fault in our environment and criticize and try to control things around us. 

God invites us to live a better way.  Just as He is gently working with us and teaching us a new way, God asks us to give the same respect and space to others, even when they are being difficult. 

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.  Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 

2 Timothy 2:24-25

What a challenge?  Can any of us live up to this?  Yes, but only within the safety of God’s care.  There will always be people with whom we find it difficult to relate.  We are called to speak and act in ways that bless and encourage, and leave the rest to God. 

Loving God, the familiar words of the Serenity Prayer seem helpful for us today.  We pray these words asking You to write them on our hearts and express them through our actions.

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 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

So, let’s be agreeable.  Let’s not criticize, or find fault, or try to improve or control anybody except ourselves.  Let’s even pray blessing on one person with whom we struggle to relate.