God Grant Me Serenity (2)

There are times when life treats us unfairly. We may protest the injustices, fall victim to self-pity, give in to a “poor me” kind of attitude, or sink into depression. However, during these times when life is unfair, what we really need is serenity. Serenity is an inner calm in the midst of the ups and downs of life. It involves learning to be content with the things in our life that cannot be changed.

If anyone in history could claim to have been treated unfairly, it was Joseph. He was one of twelve sons, the favourite of his father. In their jealousy, Joseph’s ten older brothers staged his death to fool their father and sold him into slavery in Egypt. Once a slave, Joseph devoted himself to serving his master well and was quickly promoted. His master’s wife then propositioned him, and when Joseph refused her, he was falsely accused of rape. When thrown into prison with no hope of release, Joseph again began to serve those around him. He was soon running the administration of the prison. Finally, after many long years, Joseph was freed. He was promoted to the position of Prime Minister of Egypt. From this position Joseph was able to eventually confront and forgive his brothers, who had sold him into slavery many years before. (Genesis 37-45).

Hundreds of years later when another faithful man named Paul was suffering in prison simply for speaking about Jesus, he wrote about the secret to the serenity he had discovered:

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.  (Philippians 4:11-12 NLT)

When Paul wrote these words, he was in a Roman prison waiting to hear if he would be executed and yet we hear no whining or complaining. Instead, he learned to accept the circumstances he could not change and live in peace.

We can’t change the fact that our world is imperfect and things are far from the way we would like them to be but we can choose our attitude.  We need the serenity that only God can give to help us change our responses to the injustices of life.

©2015 Partners in Hope