Join the conversation as we unpack the meaning behind the iconic Serenity Prayer. Reflecting on themes like wisdom, acceptance, hardship, and trust, we discuss living one day at a time, and how to find inner peace and perspective in the ups and downs of life. If you’ve never heard of the Serenity Prayer, we encourage you to listen to this episode and embrace this prayer as a powerful tool for spiritual growth.
Transcript
Clapper.
Yeah, I remember the clapper clap on clap off.
Did they call it a clapper?
Yeah Yeah, I remember clap on clap off.
I don’t remember the clapper on the clapper is like a sound.
Yeah switch It’s right a light switch that turns out.
It was it was Alexa Yeah original.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think I’d still prefer that sometimes over Alexa turn off the lights exactly Because the clapper didn’t necessarily listen It just heard I hear you.
I hear you.
Yes indeed Justin thrown out the markisms this morning.
I’ll like it Like I say All right, how are you this morning?
I am well You are well.
Yes.
Good.
Yeah, you too It’s a nice cool quiet fall morning.
Yeah, it’s the it’s dark out Yeah, of course now, but the moon was just bright.
It was yeah, and the stars Yeah, this morning.
Yeah.
Yeah, just to see the stars and yeah still a neat time of year Do you think people get tired of us telling us about the day when it’s two weeks later?
I’m sure it was a great I remember that morning Yeah Yeah, oh well.
Yeah.
Oh well.
That’s what I say.
Yeah enjoy it but You know what it reminded me of this morning.
It reminded me a Saturday.
You did a nice job Leading the discussion, I guess I’ll call it.
Thank you for the CR thing there and Yeah, it reminded me of that of when we talked about the serenity prayer Yeah, yeah, just that what what comes to mind?
Oh, I could put it out there for the audience when you think of the word serenity What comes to mind As you said that the birds Comes to mind that they had answers what about for you though?
What what image what?
person place thing Well right now I can’t because you tied it into my head But I can’t get that picture of the moon kind of going through the trees Oh, I’m kind of lighting up like there’s a little spot over there.
Okay in between the trees where it was just like where’s the light?
Oh, it’s the moon.
Yeah, cuz I could see like kind of casting into the woods from our porch lights Okay, this way, right?
Then there was like light behind it sure for a second there.
I was trying to figure that out Yeah, I hadn’t registered yet and I think whoa, they’re looked up the moon’s crazy bright sure But yeah, kind of that moonlit forest floor.
Yeah, definitely has a serene Yeah, I feel to me no doubt.
How about you?
Yeah, it’s uh, it’s funny cuz I mean I’ll routinely think about it like um When I when I think of serene, it’s like some mornings when we’re doing F3, you know, you look I never once I Did I think about it but it’s like never once did I think of serenity?
Well doing F3 this is why mark.
This is our this is why we’re polarized I’m sorry.
No, you it’s a great.
I appreciate that perspective but if in all honesty it’s before after typically and we’re right there at the mouth of the Cape Fear River.
Yeah, and Some mornings you just look out there and that water is flat Yeah, and you know and that’s what comes to mind that serene and I and I think about it in that context and As I’ve thought about a little more with people, you know, it’s like If that what if that body of water could talk You know the to tell of the history, you know, there’s a there’s a depth You know, it’s not because I and I think serene when it comes to mind.
It’s like, you know It’s not that it couldn’t be tumultuous, right?
But in this moment You know it is serene and there because there’s a depth in other words a mud puddle I wouldn’t think of being serene.
Yeah, you know because it just can’t have the ability to be tumultuous But in opposition polarizing if you will, you know in that moment It’s serene and I and I think about that in the context of you know people that I respect You know who have had you know their turmoil or their their strife, you know their tribulations if you will and yet They have a sense of peace about them.
Mm-hmm, you know, that isn’t you know flippant or you know Just kind of so yeah, that’s that’s uh Typically when I see you know a large body of water or something like that.
That’s flat You know, I tend to think of serene in that moment Yeah, I think prior to the thing about the moon that would have been my more like For me the the picture of being out on a dock, you know, yeah by a lake early morning, you know Dust time and you see, you know a few ducks playing but for the most part.
Yeah, there’s no ripples It’s just kind of yeah, maybe a little foggy, you know, yeah, yeah that that to me is Certainly a picture.
Yeah Of serenity sure yeah What about in people?
What would what would and when you think of a person?
What would make you think of serenity there?
Yeah, that’s um Yeah Maybe some of the same characteristics Sure, you know calmness sure you know okay a slowness hmm You know yeah a reflective mm-hmm not pensive Yeah, but yeah, yeah, yeah reflective.
Yeah No doubt yeah, I think also thinking about context like person was serenity I can see kind of sitting Taking it in as stuff is kind of flying around you know, I mean yeah life.
Yeah and kind of processing and Yeah, taking it slowly, you know, I mean yeah versus yeah freaking out, you know exactly yeah Yeah, but you know that would I Happen to be reading this morning about you know Jesus uh, you know flipping the the money changers table Mm-hmm, you know that kind of thing but you know all of what he did he did with desire You know and even in that providing calm You know I could there what I’m sure there that’s that’s kind of what I see when you you know When you mentioned that it’s it’s kind of that that ability to walk through the circumstance without having to run Just because others are running.
Yeah, he was the perfect example of that in so many ways, right?
Like yeah, like even the story where he called the seas the storm Because you know like he basically turned a storm in Serenity yeah, the story starts with the whole crew freaking out because the storm is that bad and these are seasoned Sailor trying to make sure fishermen right say they’ve seen some seas and this one’s got him freaked out Yeah, and they go to find Jesus and he’s sleeping.
Yeah To me that’s a remedy.
Yeah, I know that outcome of this storm and I it’s not keeping me up Yeah, that’s that’s incredible.
Yeah, or like When Lazarus, you know was on his deathbed to the degree where it was eminent like he was gonna die and of course everyone knew Jesus could heal Lazarus right and You know the friends of Lazarus friends of Jesus came Found him in this other town using freaking out right same thing storm its rages Whatever you need to get over there and you know Heal them like if you care about him because we know he’s your good friend like they they had a Really close relationship according to Bible like sure friends, you know Like if you if you want him around you got to get there now and heal that guy, you know, yeah Yeah, and Jesus Bible says I think probably I think in the King James says tarried three days sure Yeah, right this idea that same thing.
It’s just a serenity that says I’m not Yeah, I’m not swayed by the storm sure yeah Yeah, you think about it in the context of when he healed the woman with the issue of blood even you know It’s he’s going he’s going off to heal Jarius’s daughter You know and it’s like this whole crowd is around him and it’s like you know His Jarius is a big deal right yeah Jarius is a big deal, you know and you know the the lady reaches out and just touches the hem of his garment You know and it’s like he says who touched me in this crowd, you know and all the disciples are basically saying You’re crying out loud Who didn’t touch you?
Yeah, you know, but yeah, he was able to say no there was something different And yeah, I mean so yeah tune yeah, yeah, that’s good word for it too.
Yeah, yeah Yeah Yeah, like just thinking through what you that thought like there’s nothing serene about that situation going through a crowded market or whatever Yeah But to have some sort of internal Serenity that can feel the you know the vibrations of the the string right sure across all of this I don’t know I just think of it in terms of you know, yes about what good vibrations are Good good vibes.
Yeah, I think of like something happens boy over there.
It’s like I felt something Yeah, I feel like that Jesus had that connection because I guess because that serenity, you know no doubt Yeah, making that connection, but yeah, it’s cool and it’s interesting as we talk about serenity Because I think our culture can look at it as its own thing You know like a Zen moment if you were you know good separate moment Like it like its own entity You know and that’s where I’ve appreciated you know as we talked about the serenity prayer how you know It starts off with god You know because serenity isn’t designed to be our god Yeah, you know, it’s not something that we are cool and end goal.
Yeah, it’s you know Its relationship with god like with through jesus christ that that we have the ability to be serene and you know, it’s just uh, it really makes me think about that that polarizing dynamic Of you know how we can be swayed back and forth and you know double-minded at times And yet we have this opportunity to be serene I don’t know as if you can consider that the other end I would consider it the other end of double-mindedness but you know In that the ability well, well they seem mutually exclusive Even if they’re not the other end sure.
Yeah, yeah But I think it’s interesting and and you know we can kind of Talk about the prayer itself, you know serenity prayer as far as that difference between you know control And you know just that ability that I don’t have to control, you know that kind of thing and I think that’s that’s where Yeah Understanding that that I can control some things and there are some things beyond my control You know, that’s where we can find that peace And knowing the difference.
Yeah, so yeah, that’s uh Since saturday, you know, that’s a little more of what i’ve been uh Wrestling within that yeah in that context.
Yeah me too.
Yeah, we should Mark you should read the serenity prayer for those who don’t know what the heck we’re talking about.
Do you have it up?
I didn’t I didn’t I can uh, I figured you probably uh That big enough.
Hey, I still I appreciate that consideration.
So yes, it is it is big enough.
Thanks.
Nice job 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 That’s uh, Reinhold neighbor New beer So yeah, I gotta give the guy credit for the uh, the penning of that.
Yes, but um So yeah, what uh as you as you think about that that balance If if I may between knowing what I uh, but between current having the courage to change the things they can yep You started you get the other way don’t don’t start with the things you can’t control accepting the things that I cannot Control or can’t change And courage to change the things I can which which wisdom yeah, but which side would you say you tend to lean towards?
Oh?
Man well I talked about this a little bit Saturday, but there’s a there’s this correlation as you become what I call a competent Christian Right and where the more competent of a Christian you become in other words I do my bible reading and I help people and you know my tie or whatever it is like all kind of got your works all in order Yeah, exactly you just figured out the the right system that you’re supposed to do and you kind of do that I feel like and you you know, you’ve seen fruit from those things that it’s just empty work I like it’s actual fruitful work, but the problem with that is the more we see a correlation between me doing the right things And then good things happening The more I think we tend to think Well, then I should do the next right thing to make this next good thing happen And so as a result, I feel like I and many of the quote unquote competent christians I know tend to fall more on the side of You know, I need to have the courage to change these things.
Mm-hmm.
You know what I mean?
They’re doing doing.
Yes.
Yes.
Exactly.
It’s just a matter of I need to step up to the plate.
It’s kind of like you always There’s always just kind of this there’s always more to do You know and and and if you if you want to keep Yeah, keep being that competent Christian, you know, yeah So that I would say I fall on that I fall closer to that and it takes genuine work to The other two things sure pray for wisdom and another difference and then accept when I can’t change it, you know, yeah It takes intentionality for that, but it’s still One day at a time one moment at a time.
Yeah, like today.
I know I’m not supposed to do something about that tomorrow flips over Yep, uh, what about today?
Exactly, you know, yeah I’ll buy you That’s interesting.
Um Because yeah, I’m probably I’m probably closer to that doer Type thing taking control, you know, I I’m I’m happy to you know, have difficult conversations It’s part of my job, you know at times to be able to initiate You know what might be what might seem as a daunting conversation.
Yeah, so I and yeah Construction’s a tough world man No, it’s funny.
I appreciate that and uh, but I was I was thinking about it how often You know, I’ll see it in the couples that I work with you know, I’ll see that that balance if you will Between the one that’s saying I’m not sure about this I think we need to pray a little more because I think there’s some there’s a value in that as well Yeah, that we’re not just doing for the sake of doing because we need to because I’m actually anxious And I just want to do because I have a heart leave that tension Yeah, even right or right or wrong good or bad.
I just want that done.
I want it fixed I want it resolved.
So therefore I’m gonna take control.
It makes me think of an analogy of I won’t name names Certain people have this tendency or desire to like fix a house problem, right?
Like so I’m leaking or whatever.
I’m not just certain people like that.
This is a tendency many of us have right words I just want to fix it so they’ll shut up on ladder and throw some caulk on it.
I mean, I feel so much better I got you right.
Yeah, uh, but then the caulk causes this water buildup issue and now but now it’s not leaking like it was So now water is collecting in your roof system and some point and you know over the course of years you’re you’re What do you call that?
Rafter.
Yep.
Rafter, right?
Yep.
Um starts rotting Right here.
Yeah Underneath the shingle rotting because it’s not so much moisture now that it’s actually dripping through into your house But it’s enough that it sits and you’ve now sealed it in to some degree, right?
This so I think of it that way where it’s like sometimes we’ve rushed to take action just to make ourselves feel better Just to say okay.
The problem is fixed.
I took care of it No worries and we can move on with our life But without the correct intention to do it the right way we can often cause Work problems, you know, so you may think of that with the yeah I don’t know if that’s where you were going, but maybe think of that.
That’s exactly yeah With that that context of being able to value You know, okay, maybe this isn’t something that I need to change right now and maybe in some ways it’s just as Maybe not courageous isn’t the right word because that’s used with the other but you know, it’s just as Faith filled to be able to say okay, maybe now isn’t the time And let’s see god on this this part And I think that is a part, you know where the two when the two when two individuals or even a single individual from that matter is able to Recognize that my tendency to do one or the other and I’m able to do The one that I’m least comfortable with I think that is the that that beginning of wisdom Where I’m recognizing my tendencies And I’m able to do the thing that I’m not always comfortable doing I think that’s where wisdom, you know growing in wisdom.
That’s where you know, okay, help me to understand You know, which one I need to do today.
Yeah In this context of things I can can’t control and the things I can Yeah, one of the challenges which I Kind of presented to is if you have a tendency towards being a fixer right to challenge you to pray about You know the the balance there sure God’s calling you to do more of the Accepting and less of the courage courageous effort, you know Invites versa if you’re one who tends to sit on the sideline Maybe pray about whether God’s calling you to courage to step up or you know Push through some codependence and not being willing To do or say or be something that you need to because of the codependence or whatever the reason is approval addiction, maybe whatever it is.
Yep, you know, but but praying for that third thing the wisdom To know the difference For each individual because we all I think fall No more or less on one side of the other.
Yeah competent Christianity or not You know some of us struggle with codependency or approval addiction and it’s much harder to do some things because that means we might You know Ruffle feathers ruffle feathers sure And yet there is the other side of that that you know that change You know changing the things I can then might tend to ruffle my own feathers Has changed the difficult things sometimes and being able to recognize okay.
No, this is a change that I need to implement You know, but I’ve honestly prayed about it to the point that yeah This is an area that I need to to grow in or challenge myself.
I have to yeah So yeah, it’s uh, that’s been a interesting Dynamic between the two as far as okay.
What’s wisdom look like?
And I think you know wisdom can have that you know people who have a general wisdom about them tend to be more serene They tend to be able to say okay, let’s let’s think about this in the midst of the storm or let’s pray about this or okay We don’t need an answer right now.
Mm-hmm.
You know that kind of thing.
Yeah, that’s good Yeah, you make me think of so much of proverbs, you know a fool does x and a wise person does y Yeah, and x is always the frantic quick You know frenetic answer and why is always the calm cool collected, you know, yeah Yeah, I can think of so many different proverbs like one one example is like answering back someone who’s You know saying something cruel or Mean or whatever and a fool will respond an anger and whatever where a wise person will you know not say anything or whatever?
Yeah, I’m sure that’s in there somewhere.
I think I think it’s slow to speak and quick to listen Yeah, you know that kind of thing.
Mm-hmm.
The only part that’s quick is the listening, you know, yeah Yeah, yeah being able to be slow Yeah, you definitely mean because wisdom and serenity.
I do feel yeah, that’s a good correlation I think and again, I don’t know if they’re the same, but they definitely kind of like uh Double-mindedness is that what you’re saying earlier?
Uh, I spoke of double.
Yeah, when I was saying that they’re mutually exclusive serenity and Double and wisdom.
No, I’m saying where those are mutually exclusive.
I kind of feel like wisdom and serenity are Are mutually inclusive where I got you have one you probably have the other.
I hear you.
Yeah.
Yeah, that makes sense Maybe not the same thing, but they kind of come packaged together sure you’ll you’ll see them together quite often.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah Yeah So if you want one or the other you can also hunt the other thing You might come, you know, yeah, you could see it be aware of it.
Yeah, yeah So then what was the other part that comes after that after that initial uh aspect?
Can you remember?
I think it’s one more one living Yeah living one day at a time Yeah, yeah Yeah And yeah, we talked a little bit about What is it?
Matthew sex where he talks about You know, he feeds Yeah, the man of her and simple came to mind for me when you actually put that out there Yeah, you know, yeah as far as how you know Initially when god was feeding his children.
He basically said hey, you know Is i’m gonna provide it But it’s gonna come one day at a time And if you try and do it for two weeks It’s just gonna stink and grow worms that kind of thing or two days even yeah That’s right then you do get two days But yeah, that was that was what came to mind, you know, I appreciated the Matthew part But that was initially what came to mind for me is that living one day at a time, you know, I you know I give you the bread you need for today.
Yeah, don’t worry about Getting bread for tomorrow.
Yeah, if you try and hoard what I gave you today.
It’s just gonna stink tomorrow Yeah, like that’s where sufficient is today the grace, you know, these Yes, it’s this idea that it’s not gonna last for tomorrow.
This grace you’ve been given to deal with today’s problems You know, there’s no use borrowing from it for tomorrow because yeah, it’s not for that Exactly.
It was a man.
Yeah, yeah Yeah, and I think about it in that context of when we are able to do that today is sufficient You know, I think we have the ability to minimize anxiety In a lot of ways, you know, if it’s up if it’s up to me To provide for my tomorrow.
Yeah, I’m gonna tend to feel a little more anxious because What about what about the day after tomorrow and what about next week and what about and what about yeah?
and Speaking of competent Christians.
I feel like this is another area we get worse at the more Practice we get at maybe I’ll say religion.
Okay, just to be fair because But um Yeah, the more we get good at doing all the right things the less we’re comfortable with giving today Well, I shouldn’t say that.
I mean I guess it depends on if you’re doing the right things for the right reason But I don’t know I guess just scaling back a little bit and saying I do feel like generally competent Christians do struggle with the day-to-day trust intend to be thinking towards the next few days and part of that’s the wisdom the grasshopper was The ant wisdom that were taught right okay, just you follow me with that ant versus the grasshopper Yeah, the grasshopper.
This is a proper as well with the grasshopper basically right because it just asaps fables No, the man talks about the ant versus the ant yeah, yes that it basically prepares Yeah for the future.
Yeah.
Yeah, and it doesn’t have a king But yet it they move forward and you know prepare for the the seasons.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, so I think what’s the grasshopper part?
right, but Uh the grasshoppers they don’t do that.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, I got you Uh, but anyway, the the point is I do think the more we learn to be wise and good stewards of our time and or whatever The more you do tend to think about those barns you need to build to hold this the goods that you’re getting it right To think of that you know that analogy we’ve talked about before the parable that Jesus talked about with the man building storage barns for all the things he had planned and and kind of how that was a Point of reference of how not to be right sure And yet the Bible you yeah, you don’t even know what tomorrow brings right?
Yeah, you’re you’re like Maybe required of you and yeah, but there are also verses that talk about the wisdom of planning and thinking So it is a balance and I think that’s where this or any prayer does such a good job of Kind of encouraging balance if that makes sense Yeah, I’d say proverbs more so that you hear that balance.
I think you know, I think of the You know so often it is that aspect of you know Don’t get too far ahead of yourself because that’s arrogance.
You know, you don’t know what tomorrow may bring Yeah, you know so yeah, that’s kind of where I come back to that one day at a time one moment at a time What’s interesting is this moment might be about planning my day tomorrow And that’s okay, right?
Yeah, but the spending the rest of my day fretting about what I’m doing tomorrow Or you know two weeks or the barns I’m gonna build like that’s that’s where it becomes problematic But if this moment is the moment that is for that sure that’s the right thing to be doing in this moment Does that yeah, I think and I think there’s a difference and I like that the idea There’s a difference between planning.
Yeah and saying okay Ideally, this is a goal that I want to go but I still hold that in a way that’s loose enough That I’m not you know controlling In that mindset to a point of okay, I’m gonna do this and then this is gonna happen You know and I’m gonna do that and that and that and that and that’s gonna happen.
It’s like No, yeah, don’t put all those eggs in that basket.
Yeah.
Yeah Yeah, so And again, I like this part because it focuses on a daily effort, right?
Sure, but it even breaks it down to work because you know, not every day is the same throughout the day Either you might have a good start to your day and then you get a phone call Now no doubt everything goes to crap and hand mask There you go, right?
That’s a justification It is definitely a mixture of colloquial Isms there you go and that’s a hard word to say nice.
John.
You try.
I’m good with Colloquial wisdom.
Yeah, that works.
Yeah.
Yeah parlor Parlor nailed it.
Yeah.
Yeah, it’s a little practice.
You did great.
Yeah Anyway, the point is your day can go bad, right?
Or it can go good But it’s sometimes we need to break it down even to the moment this day.
Let’s do this serenity thing in this moment I thought I had an unlock down this morning when I did my prayer whatever but now it’s like Yeah, I got crap and a hand basket.
So let’s let’s find some serenity in that basket Yeah, you know and as it goes forward the uh the aspect of Not being in the moment because I I do I like just personally as I’m thinking about you know So often I do think the present or the right now is a gift Yeah, I like that that play on words Because so often we minimize the gift of right now In exchange for yeah, what I did in the past or you know or the plan for tomorrow And it robs us.
Yeah of this momentary gift When we start thinking too futuristic Yeah, and just being able to recognize this moment is a gift that feels very nuggety to me I think I think I’m gonna work on on meditating on that concept okay about just Really it really make I don’t know just hit me right, you know, okay Especially as this time of year where I start to struggle a little bit sometimes Yeah, yeah to affect the disorder that whole thing.
Yeah, um, I think Well, I know part of that tendency is to be looking towards the next few days and it’s like it’s all the same You know, I don’t know there’s something about that there were Something tips over to where it’s like yeah Tomorrow’s the same and it’s enjoyable to oh tomorrow’s the same, you know, but I think you’re right Or I like what you’re saying and I think that’s maybe a tool that I’ll try and no that’s embrace is to say Forget tomorrow what’s right now right now I get to be in the mark and there’s a nice breeze coming in the window The birds are singing.
Yeah, you know and we get to talk about serenity.
This is a good moment Yeah, I need to worry about tomorrow or next Wednesday being the same, you know, exactly or whatever it is Yeah, next Wednesday morning won’t be the same.
We won’t have the same topic, but yeah, but you’ll be sitting there I’ll be sitting here.
Yeah, these lights will be on and those birds will be singing.
Yep, mason will still be in the process of coming up That’s right.
Yeah, although when does daylight say me something?
Oh good point.
Anyway, it’s end of the month end of the october I think okay, so next week, you know, basically be about to say Yeah Anyway, I backed what you’re saying about Being robbed.
I think that happens a lot to me again in that struggle I think that’s part of the robbery that happens right sure.
Yeah.
Yeah the heist Exactly.
Yeah, you allow yourself to be hijacked to a certain degree.
Yeah.
Yeah Yeah All right, so the next part.
Oh, no one likes the next part Yeah, or the last that’s accepting hardship as a pathway to peace.
Correct.
Yeah.
Yeah, it’s like why can I have peace with that?
That pathway Yeah Yeah, we talk go ahead we talked a little bit about that and how it’s Peace doesn’t is it always preceded by hardship, right?
Hmm Well, I think it I think it is the hardship that helps us to identify peace even if it’s not preceded by Yeah in that in that process to be able to recognize and I and I think that’s where That like when I when I think about you know the history that the Cape Fear could tell That’s that’s where that comes from for me.
You know the depth where that you were referring to.
Yeah Exactly where you know, it’s like no, I’ve seen I’ve seen some things You know that body of water has seen some things if it could tell it’s not the personify anything But you know what I mean and I think you know people are like that as well You know in that ability to say No, I’ve seen some stuff and this is my comparison.
Yeah, this is a good moment This is a good moment and it’s and it’s okay You know and even in the difficult moments You know, it’s like okay.
There’s the storm is gonna end Yeah, and and peace will come back Because I do think at times our tendency is this you know think in such ways that say well, this is gonna last forever You follow me, you know, especially in those emotional states.
Yeah, you know, yeah This is this is gonna last forever.
Yep.
Good.
Amen.
Yeah.
Yep Yeah, oh valid point.
Yeah, I’m the good boy.
I think you know, we tend to we tend to you know Catastrophies to a certain degree that this, you know terrible moment is gonna my the rest of my life is gonna be terrible.
Yeah Yeah, I just think about certain situations where People are so stuck Emotionally you said emotionally, right?
So like you said it’s cool like they’re in an argument or whatever and this is this is life This is permanent.
Yes, right and then you know one sleep later And Yep at the beach everything’s happy.
This is life.
Yeah, like it the other life is done This is the new one and uh, we yeah when when we’re not I guess I would say emotionally mature we could tend to do that Roll it coaster.
Yeah, yeah, we’re yeah And so if this is my new life, it’s gonna be happy like this then of course I’m gonna be doubly happy because this is like permanent right like this is the best thing in the world and then same thing when Oh, you’re telling me this is life.
This is terrible.
This is the worst thing in the world and you it Accentuates every one of those humps, right?
Yeah roller coaster ride and elongate them, right?
Yeah, you know, yeah Yeah, but like you said if there’s some depth there That when the storm comes You know, I’ve seen some things been there done that I know what these can look like this one could be worse this one could be less bad, but I’ve been around, you know Exactly should be able to have some level of I guess serenity despite the storm.
Yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, and that that piece that you can actually maybe borrow against right?
Yeah, yeah Yep, that you know that this you know while even even living here You know each time there’s a tropical storm out there You know you hear that murmuring that goes through the area, you know, and it’s like Routinely I’m gonna put that word out there.
You know routinely the storm rarely hits full on you know in that but yet There’s typically this thought that oh, yeah, it’s heading our way.
This is the big one.
Yeah.
Yeah And I think you know, it’s kind of interesting how you know different people view it differently.
Mm-hmm.
You know, yeah Well, it’s funny Someone else mentioned this and I thought it was kind of funny too where This kind of goes against your point, but that’s okay when enough of those happen You know you get a few years of duds.
Yeah, and we all kind of come Complacent.
Yeah, and then you get hit with the big one.
No one put the boards on the windows No one no one left town, right like yep Feel like that’s that ends up being the the perfect storm is yeah.
Yeah.
No, I hear where you’re coming from.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah Yeah, so yeah, there’s also wisdom in that Go ahead.
No, there’s wisdom in that go ahead in that recognizing what could be And yes valuing yes.
Yeah, what could be what could still happen, but recognizing it may not happen And i’m okay either way, you know, because i’m I guess the the thing of it is it’s like I remember a story of a fellow talked, you know about a farmer that had a hired hand or something And you know we hired him.
He said, you know, I can sleep.
I can sleep when the the storm comes You know and from that perspective, you know, they had a big storm You know and his and the farmer was up, but yet his hired hand was sleeping because he had basically prepared And had had everything ready So he could sleep when the storm came Because of the preparedness That you know, he had provided it wasn’t about just doing something when the storm is coming It’s about continuing to be prepared and and keeping yourself in a Discipline state of readiness, you know by your daily life.
Yeah, that’s good.
Yeah But that that actually reminded me of the second part Accepting is that accepting this world as it is yeah as no Accepting the Accepting heart of the path into peace taking this world as Jesus did.
Yes simple world.
Yes Not as I would have it.
Yeah, that definitely describes your your roller coaster from my perspective Mm, you know because in this world you will have trouble.
Yeah But take heart I have overcome the world.
Yeah, you know So to be able to and I and I think so often You know versus the roller coaster when we can accept the fact that there’s going to be hardship There’s going to be difficult times We’re not necessarily surprised when the difficult time comes Yeah, and it isn’t a terrible awful thing We recognize that that’s what part of this world is this isn’t nirvana.
Yes, you know, this isn’t heaven This isn’t designed to be heaven.
Yes But it’s part of this world as it is in the closer we get to Jesus the more When those storms come we have the ability to sleep through it, right?
Like we have the ability to have an innate sense of serenity that says There’s something more powerful than this powerful thing this bad thing this whatever and I ain’t scared You know like Even if I get swept off the boat like I’m not scared even if I drown I’m not scared, you know because I think sometimes we Encourage that sense of faith that says God won’t harm me Ah sure right like and it’s certainly in that story with Jesus.
He wasn’t harmed, right?
Um, but we but sometimes we place our faith and we say that’s the faith God wants me to have is that I’m invincible with him and I believe that’s misguided because The invincibility you get with him is In eternal relationship with him that cannot be changed Through any circumstance including that sure that’s the invincibility you’re granted sure Short of that we have no guarantees We get some promises in the bible about various, you know, principles and stuff like that.
Yeah that we can hold to but Um, we’re not guaranteeing anything beyond that eternal relationship with him.
Yeah, so the invincibility needs to be the what paul described where he was shipwrecked he was bitten by snakes and he was it never Shook his faith or made him doubt or because his belief in his invincibility wasn’t in no harm Befalling him.
Yeah, and then when harm came There’s this abandonment that can occur.
Sure.
Sure this betrayal of I thought you would take care of me as your son as you know this creature you love sure and yet look where we are Yeah, you know, yeah, and That’s an unfortunate way to That’s it’s a misplaced faith.
I believe to say unhealthy expectation harm me I can pray that he won’t harm me.
I can ask that I can have faith that he will protect me Yeah, but I can also accept that if he doesn’t right there’s also goodness in that sure and that’s an invincibility Yeah, to be able to say if the storm comes if I fly up the boat if I drown all of that is fine Sure, it is the wrong word, but you got him saying no no all of that is yes eternally yes Yes, yes, the safest place the safest places with jesus either way regardless of my Yeah, and on top of it when the storm is raging.
I know the landscape is going to be different So there is a level of faith we can and should have that says something something’s happening here And it’s beyond my comfort and whether I fall off the boat or not right.
Yeah, and so with or without my comfort God’s good and he’s doing something.
Yeah, you know, we can cling to that sure All that’s easier said than done just I’m not I’m not claiming I’m just saying that can be a Issue we run into where we yeah We pray these prayers we get to this place.
Okay.
God’s gonna protect me You know, and I won’t have any harm or I won’t have any discomfort this discomfort is another one.
It’s like yeah God never Never promised this lack of discomfort or a comfortable existence.
Yeah Yeah, no, I appreciate that in that aspect of sometimes are we have unhealthy expectations Of how God is going to do or provide certain things Yeah, yeah, yeah Taking the simple world as it is.
Yep.
Yeah, not as I would have it Yes.
Yeah, and that’s the other thing is like the disciples Look at the storm and go.
Why would you let this go on like this, you know And Jesus wasn’t about Correcting all the bad in front of them.
Yeah, you know what I mean?
He was very purposeful at his time here.
He could have Walked through towns and as he walked through they just all followed him Right, I mean just their hearts were converted just by seeing him.
I mean like there’s there’s no limit to his power He could have done that he could have Could have overrode, you know our perception of free will and said I love you too much to leave you in your junk.
So you’re coming.
Sorry You know, yeah, you know like I that’s just the amount of power there that we But he did he said this is this is a simple world.
I’m here to redeem it through the plan that my father created and Set out from the beginning of time and we’re gonna do it that way.
Yeah, not the way In this moment.
It looks like it should be.
Yeah, you know what I mean?
I do and I think about it in that context of There’s a there’s a tremendous amount of power in my ability to accept something for the way that it is You know, yeah Because if I if I just try to think about something and it’s like well, it should be different.
It should be this it should be that You know, but when I’m able to say okay.
Yes Um, you know my my father is an alcoholic You know, well when I come to an acceptance of that You know for what it is then then I’m prepared to be able to say okay.
That’s what an alcoholic does Right and it’s not that it’s my preference But yet once I come to that acceptance and I’m no longer trying to I know I’m no longer falling victim to enabling You know, this is what it is, but I still have this ability to choose what I do There’s a tremendous amount of power in that.
Yes You know and I and I think that when I think of it in that context, you know, you know People people are going to say mean things, you know people are going to do different things in a sinful world And so yet if I’m able to recognize that yeah, that’s why Jesus came because there this is a sinful world You know, then when those barbs come or you know those flaming arrows to a certain degree come It’s like I’m not surprised by that right.
I’m not disappointed.
I may be disappointed But you know what I’m saying?
I’m I’m able to recognize that Okay, this is part of where I live right now.
Yep.
This is part of the package deal.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah Yeah, we’re more likely to sign up for that.
Yeah, you did you were born Into a simple there’s not the sign.
There’s nothing to sign, but yeah, you’re here Like it or not.
There’s nobody got the opportunity to design anything.
So yeah Yeah Yeah, that acceptance the power there that’s that’s pretty incredible and see how we talk about if only Sure, which is kind of shoulds was what you were saying, but yeah, kind of that same idea as we get hung up on the preferences And every time the bad thing happens, you know, especially in insanity Which is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, which is one of the key uh Symptoms you should look for in your life if if you’re in need of you know some sort of What we call recovery, which really just healing right?
Yeah, um, but is this every time this thing happens your natural Reaction to it is thinking about if only it was different.
Yeah, and that’s you know, like you saw my alcoholic father For instance, and you know, he does another thing you’re like If only he loved me the way that father loves their son Right if only he you know showed up to You know one of these public gatherings in a way that wasn’t embarrassing to me if only you know if only if And we can get stuck in those that if only loop where exactly and the circumstance moves on We move on and then the circumstance comes back or immediately back in the if onlys and we’re not Focused in this moment.
Yeah this day.
We’re focused on some non-existent other Universe not even a different day not the future not the past a different universe Right.
Yeah, like that universe doesn’t exist where your father’s not an alcoholic using this analogy, right?
Like that that’s this never ever ever I mean right at this moment right in the past too Like you’re not changing this because that that universe you’re envisioning is a father who had a healthy upbringing Never got addicted to alcohol.
Sure and as a result was able to be the kind of father that he should be Sure that universe doesn’t exist even if today snap gun.
He’s he’s no longer at a you know, alcohol Right that’s still not the universe that exists today.
Right.
Yeah, but yeah, we get stuck in that alternate universe, which is Real shame because this universe could really use this You know, yeah, no doubt.
Yeah, yeah good stuff.
No doubt and then the following that up 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 so premiumly happy with you forever in the next.
I appreciate the starter there my friend.
Yeah, that’s tested marks memory He did great Oh, like you say once you it’s like the pledge of allegiance.
I pledge somebody starts off with I pledge and typically you can follow Yeah, for those who don’t go to cr haven’t been involved like we read that at the end of every Friday night Like kind of wrap up the night.
So it is very much pledge of a legion C for us.
Yeah.
Yeah, it’s true.
No doubt.
That’s good.
Yeah.
What comes to mind there for you Well I think one key word there is all Right trusting that he’ll make all things right because Kind of going back to what we’re saying Hmm.
We’re not promised perfection here our lack of Sure problems and so they’re Romans 828 basically says all things work together for good though for those are called according to his purpose.
It does Yeah, I don’t think it does.
What does it say?
I think it says God works all things And that’s always in that reminder.
Yeah, because we contend to think about all things Working now it’s God working all things Yeah, that’s that’s the supreme ingredient.
Yeah doesn’t work without that.
Yeah Yeah, but again the key word in that verse for me is the all sure right?
No, I’m gonna tie back to this is something about all Yeah, that requires a level of faith that I think a lot of us struggle with sure all Yeah, exactly because you can name a lot of pretty nefarious things pretty Death cancer, you know, all yeah kids abused.
Yeah Child pornography.
Yeah, right like yeah all Yeah, oh, you know and Yeah That requires a level of faith.
Mm.
That is a stretch for any believer.
I’ve sure know I hear you right.
Yeah That makes sense it does and and again I come back to that serenity and the wisdom that realizes Quite often as we’ve as we gain a depth to our lives we can see how Those circumstances have worked we start to have evidence stack up.
Yeah over the course of our life Yes, agree because even in those difficult times we can see how Lives have been transformed You know or circumstances ultimately or changed You know to where we’re able to recognize no, it’s not it’s not necessarily all the things It’s god working and and being able to recognize that and Ultimately being able to trust in a sense of faith That says okay, even if I have this in my life or even if you know I’ve had this experience Part of that may be a As I find my own healing I may be able to help others find healing in that process by god’s grace So yeah, it’s just kind of a yeah, yeah, it’s really good and in terms of the really nefarious things like I think sometimes We lose sight of or it it’s very abstract for us to have this idea of some judgment day Right that at some point judgment will be doled out Right And it’s like yeah, that sounds nice, but I want justice right now And I want that thing bad thing done and gone or you know, justice done to where they they paid the penalty right now because we can’t fathom that kind of Eternal judgment day that like final thing And it doesn’t feel real to us, but the fact is it’s very real.
So when it says he will make all things right It’s it’s no joke.
It’s it’s gonna happen.
Yeah, you know, yeah, and there can be some serenity If you’re able to believe that in faith because again, that’s abstract.
It’s future.
It’s It’s truly a different universe, right now, but it’s a it’s truth, you know, right?
Um, so I think that can also help so not only will he you know, he can make Good things out of bad and all that but also there are some bad things that will be dealt with Oh sure, right.
Yeah, so there is Justice that will occur, but if we even now yes, some yes in some cases Not all cases, right?
Yeah, some in some cases we will see justice even now Yep, but ultimately even if we don’t we can right, you know recognize it will happen Yeah, but future if every situation was met with the justice that we expected Then we wouldn’t be able to go to heaven because that justice Would prevent that right?
It you know, obviously Jesus paid the penalty so that justice was is covered.
I got you but We often expect a hundred and twelve percent justice with everyone but us for us.
We expect that mercy and like Well, you know a little bit of leniency and a little bit of grace, right?
um Yeah Yeah, so all things.
Yes indeed if we surrender Yeah Yeah So I think the key there though is that He won’t just make it right if we surrender It’s that We’ll understand it.
He can you know, I mean like well trust if we can trust him and surrender We’ll see yes that process happened or or trust where we can’t see because we can see where it did Kind of to your point about the depth.
Yeah, right?
No.
Yeah.
Yep Yeah That I may and then it goes on that I may be reasonably happy in this life And I and I and I like that in that of course My perspective is this ability to think and feel So I think about that in that reasonably happy, you know to be able to think In such a way that it’s reasonable and recognize my happiness may be momentary You know and it will come and it will go my feelings will come and they will go but ultimately If I’m in walking in wisdom, I’m going to be reasonably happy.
Yeah, you know Yep And then supremely happy when that eternal dynamic is squared away And I can trust him for that as well.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah Yeah, I know in our little group some people didn’t like the word reasonably I think that doesn’t seem like what God wants for us is only reasonable amount of happiness And so he had a good discussion about that And it was funny as we went to dinner with some friends that night and some of them that were there was there But we were talking about all we talking about the serenity prayer and someone in that dinner group who wasn’t there You know, there’s only one thing I don’t like about that Prayer it’s reasonably happy, you know, and like so we it was really fun because I got to hear some of them Present some of the thing.
They’re like well actually we talked about that and then it was it was cool because That was one of the things I said is I actually really Have come to love that sure raise.
Yeah, because for me as a petulant baby human I want supreme happiness right now.
Give it to me now every moment Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, and What I recognize through the course of my life is that it are through the moments hardship is a pathway to peace So through the moments of hardship and difficulty is when I grew and I have a deeper better relationship With my father and heaven and everyone on this earth as a result of going through moments that are not happy Sure, so is it reasonable to expect supreme happiness?
Is it reasonable to say I should never not be happy?
Right.
I mean come on.
Yeah, right.
Yeah, also reasonably.
It’s almost like you hear it as Barely, right, which is not what reasonably means.
No, right?
Yeah, it means within reason Yeah, we tend to think in terms of that uh, you know More all more than I can ask or imagine yeah type thing comes to mind.
Yes, but yeah, it’s it’s not that It’s just the ability to be able to recognize.
Yes, right now.
I can be reasonably happy Yeah, yeah And when even that verse him giving us over and above what we can ask or imagine Comes with growth sure growth hurts.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, it’s exactly but we you know, we associate.
Yeah Yeah, just misassociation.
I think her.
Hi, maybe just unhealthy expectations.
Yes.
Yeah, yeah, not being reasonable Exactly, right for a sinful world.
Yeah as it is.
Right.
Yeah, however At some point we’ll be extracted from the simple world.
Yeah, therefore our happiness will no longer be reasonable Sure because it won’t be limited by the simple nature The world that we’re in including my own simple nature and that’s where we get supreme happiness forever with him in the next World, you know, yeah, and that was one of the things we talked about too is like Again, one of the reasons I like this prayer is that every time you do it it ends with that promise So no matter everything preceding that line you still have that Yes, which kind of goes back to what we’re saying about serenity when you have that inner sense of That thing’s coming and that thing’s real and that thing is supreme in my happiness It can help put the rest in perspective granting that serenity, right?
Yeah And I like that in the context of it.
It’s not like we’re that bird just flitting around trying to find happiness, you know It’s it’s being able to recognize.
It’s like it’s not offered You know extensively, you know unconditionally all the time here.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep Yeah Any other thoughts that uh That pretty well wraps the the last verse up amen Yeah, amen Amen Yeah, I mean we did yeah, it was a good time of discussion.
I really enjoyed it.
It was cool to hear other people’s perspectives on Mm-hmm, you know on the various phrases and I think It’s fun to break things apart like that and no doubt stop and slow down Yeah, you know what I mean?
Yeah And if you’re gonna do that with something the serenity prayer is a great thing to do with that with the bible is off That’s what preachers do every sunday, right?
Sure You know a lot of preachers right when they especially extemporaneous, right?
Is that the one he preached through which was the one where he preached through verses and I kind of one at a time.
I think that’s extemporary We don’t wait.
Yeah, but the point is like when you’re going verse by verse Yeah, that’s a great opportunity to slow down talk about each individual word and what it kind of means in the context in it Yeah, it’s like you can really dive deep or you can go broad and to shoot the button Yeah, I guess I didn’t think about it in that terms of uh What a what a word but we’re not comparing it.
It’s a serenity prayer It’s not how it’s necessarily used in a bible I’d just be curious what the the greek word for serenity would be you know in that you know, but yeah, it would yeah Yeah, it’s the name of a prayer.
It’s not a verse that we’re pulling out of right?
Find the context for that.
So yeah, yeah, but yeah Yeah, everything in there is biblical though, which is cool.
Yeah, it’s like It’s a good prayer.
It is maybe not maybe you know, not as good as the lord’s prayer because he was the lord but you know if you know if you’re if you’re gonna Reflect on a prayer.
It’s not a bad one to be able to model some prayers after i’ve actually thought about Kind of this concept that you’re bringing up.
It’s like this is not the bible, right?
Yeah, it’s exactly some prayer some guy wrote and yet There’s also just like guy God preserved the bible, right sure for the sake of It’s his word, you know, yeah, I believe he’s also preserved other Things that just man wrote except I would argue that it was co-written You know in the sense that it was you know inspired by the Holy Spirit and maintained by the Holy Spirit So it’s a random prayer.
I think it’s a good one.
It’s been through so many recovery, you know Systems including ones that aren’t Christ-based no, I hear you Um, the other thing that I think I was like amazing grace The hymn like sure hymns are falling away and yet that one will never be gone, right?
I don’t I can’t imagine it would ever disappear from yeah culture.
Yeah, what do you think?
No, I’m hearing where you’re coming from in that context and it was uh, and I’m not trying to elevate any of this Stuff to the level of the bible But I ain’t trying to elevate it from just some dude wrote it.
It doesn’t matter Well, if it didn’t matter god, it probably would have disappeared it.
It does matter You know, yeah, and I and I think there can be like you’re saying this preserving that the holy spirit does You know just because he can yes in this context of and I and I think in some ways You know what is true?
You know is maintained by god.
Yeah, you yeah, you made me think your phrase truth is truth Okay, right you said that before You said that I can tell you the exact moment you said it okay.
I I typically say all truth is god’s truth.
That was it Okay, okay That was justine’s version that’s okay I may have said truth is truth, but I mean it’s kind of the same thing If all truth is god’s truth all truth is god’s truth is truth is truth right It sounds like one of those red-hearing things, you know where it’s a it’s a circular door a Argument is what is what came to mind.
Yeah, for me.
It’s more like uh, it is what it is.
Yeah Truth is truth.
Can’t argue with it No, I like I’m sorry all truth is god truth.
Yes, that’s that’s the version that’s but I like truth is truth It’s like it’s something you could say in a moment where you know It is what it is.
It’s truth is truth.
Sorry.
You don’t like it truth is truth.
That’s how I see it Fair enough.
No, that wasn’t necessarily meant to be a signing off, but appreciate your sharing your perspective on that.
Yeah, yeah Thanks for having me in eating some more on it.
Yeah, bring it back.
Yep.
I was uh, I was glad we didn’t uh Have taught haven’t we if we hadn’t talked about serenity before so it made a good opportunity.
So yes We’re getting to enough episodes now that we have to look in the old spreadsheet of all our Make sure yeah, yeah, we talk about serenity.
Yeah, I don’t see it in here anywhere Because I tend to think about I tend to think about them for some reason you you have that really nice script that you do And it’s like so I’m actually very visual.
It’s like I might have seen this before right that Scripty serenity yeah that scripty serenity, but it might have been a holy spirit.
We’re seeing the future It might have been a holy spirit.
They did kind of have that that that feel to it as far as it Yeah, spirit But yeah, so either way This is how we see it
