Peter Adam takes Reinhold Neibuhr’s famous prayer for serenity, and offers a personal adjustment that seeks from God that which can lead to serenity.
I don’t think it denigrates Neibuhr’s premise, but seeks to speak to the experience of those of us who often feel a lack of serenity, even as we see God answering our prayers.
He also offers a few more thoughts in his article at Gospel Coalition Australia.
Negotiating all this complexity requires wisdom, patience, and hope. It requires godly contentment and godly discontentment. I often think of Reinhold Niebuhr’s prayer,
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.But when I use it I re-word it,
Loving heavenly Father, please grant me faith, hope love and wisdom:
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.For serenity may be an outcome of faith, hope, love and wisdom, but is not a pre-condition!
We need to learn to embrace God’s less-welcome gifts, such as discouragements, frustrations, suffering, sickness, and opposition.
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