Wisdom

And finally, we come to the end of the Serenity Prayer:  And the wisdom to know the difference.

It's significant that wisdom is the final request of this prayer.  Wisdom is one of the most powerful gifts we can ask of the Holy Spirit.  Wisdom saves us from needless heartache and foolish missteps.  And when it comes to changes we want to experience - or avoid - in our lives, wisdom is a priceless gift.

Knowing which changes lie within our power to create and which do not can be confusing.  I wonder how much time I've wasted over my life trying to make changes that were not mine to make at all.

I am mindful of the woman I spoke of yesterday, trying so hard to make her marriage last when of course she couldn't.  Her husband didn't want to make the change necessary to allow the marriage to continue, so her efforts were doomed to failure.

His attitude toward her and the marriage were not within her control.  She achieved peace only when she changed what was under her control: herself.

How much grief do we experience over things we cannot control?  We hear of a sad story somewhere in the world and grieve, ruining our day.   We observe an act of unfairness and stew over it, simmering with anger and resentment.

Compassion and justice demand that we act, and yet we cannot send the flood back into the sea or force politicians to speak truly and act justly.  Wisdom allows us to find meaningful actions to take and powerful ways to witness so that we can preserve our serenity even as we courageously follow in the footsteps of Christ.

Instead of grieving, we make a donation to whatever agency helps those whose suffering breaks our heart.  Perhaps we do what we can to draw the world's attention to their plight.  We pray, always, for their relief.

When we see injustice, we respond as we are able.  We speak the truth without compromise.  We cry foul again and again.  We join with others to create a powerful witness, refusing to be silenced.  We pray, of course, for justice for all.

When we come to the limit of our power, we let go, trusting that our efforts work for good even when we cannot see it.   And knowing that they do, that even our most apparently-futile efforts bear fruit somehow, some way, is true wisdom.

****

Regarding Hurricane Isaac:
We ask that you join us in prayers for the people of Louisiana and Mississippi as they deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac.  This link will take you to the Red Cross donation page, where you can earmark your donation for Hurricane Isaac relief. 
jean+