"God grant me the serenity to accept the things which I cannot change, and the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

There is a world of wisdom in this little prayer, wisdom which we will all do well to acquire. There isn't any use trying to move an immovable object and while we may expend a great deal of energy, we shall surely end up a frustrated failure.

On the other hand, if we assume that nothing can be done, we shall surely do nothing when there is so much to do. The crux of the matter is having the wisdom to know what to accept and what to change.

Paul is an excellent example for us to follow in this. God had given him a thorn in the flesh. Three times Paul asked God to remove it but God declared, "My grace is sufficient for thee." Paul's attitude should be ours, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities." Paul had a problem, a thorn in the flesh. He tried to get it removed by asking God, but when God showed him His grace was sufficient, Paul accepted it gladly.

When we have a problem, an affliction, or an obstacle, let us do our best to solve, cure or remove it, but when we find that it is immovable, let us learn to accept it serenely and learn to live with it.

The only thing to do with a wooden leg is learn to walk on it. There isn't any use moaning over it and thinking about what might have been.

Let us learn to accept life as God has given it to us and make the best of what we have. We have the comfort and consolation of Paul that "God is faithful, who will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it."

The problem is, we do not always look for God's way of escape but instead trust in our own strength. Consequently we are sometimes crushed by things that we shouldn't have even been near.

We believe that "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." If all things are working together for our good, let us then accept each day as a challenge, meeting our obstacles with courage and serenity, changing the things that can be changed and accepting the things which cannot be changed.

With this attitude, we can wake up each morning with the calm assurance of David who declared, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."