Sunday, July 29, 2018 (6:37 a.m. MDT)
Questa, New Mexico
Blessed God, Thank You. Sleep finally happened last night. After rain, and much bitterness on my part.
Forgive me Father. I am blessed. I know this. Your Word tells me. And I agree. Wholeheartedly.
Yet… I grumble. Withdraw. Groan inwardly. Pout. I honestly don’t know how to “accept the things I cannot change”.
And still You lovingly provide. I confess. You supply. This time, again, in the form of the original prayer of serenity by Reinhold Nieburh.
“God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.”
Oh yes Dearest Father. I struggle with what Your Word says about love and forgiveness. I know that is what You call me toward. My inherent nature leans instead to justifying bitter resentments.
Even with the reminder late last night of the need for me to “Repent not resent” and to “repent, rejoice, repeat”, still I wallowed in my own perceived right to be annoyed.
And herein lies my struggle. Much like Paul expressed of his own inner war between his old and new natures (Romans 7:14-25) I wrestle with how I feel and what Your Word teaches.
Forgive me Father. And thank You. Praise You for knowing us so well.
Life in the Spirit (Romans 8:1-17) reminds me “But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if You have the Spirit of God living in you” (v. 9a). I am Your daughter, adopted into Your family (15b). I want to behave accordingly!
“Father, dear Father” (v. 15c) do all You must in providing me the ability of “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 reasonable happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next.”
I love You Father. Immensely. Wholeheartedly. Live in me that I would in fact live in You. Do all You must to adjust my attitude. My behavior. The ultimate outcome of repenting, rejoicing and repeating.
Change me Father. My heart, my soul, my mind, my strength. Make me truly, solely Yours. I love You. I need You. I want You. I ask You. Thank You. Amen.
(431 words ~ 8:32 a.m. MDT)
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