When you think about it, most of the things that cause us stress are things that we have not accepted; when we resist what is. The moment we accept the things we cannot change, we find peace and a burden is lifted. The key is to know when we can change something and be courageous enough to make the changes, or become willing to accept the things we can’t change.
Often we have more power then we realize to make changes in our lives. One of the most important things that we can change is our attitude or prospective about something. We have a choice in how we see things, half full or half empty. When we change our attitude towards our situation or circumstance, change has already begun to take place.
Things that we have no control over, such as the weather, choosing who our parents are, the decisions that other’s make etc., are things we can come to accept. Accepting something does not necessarily mean that you like it, but rather you stop trying to fix manage or control it. We decide to just let it be. It becomes somewhat easier to accept people and circumstances once we began to see that all of our circumstances and the people that we have encountered along life’s journey have all played a role in who we are. There were lessons in all our experiences. Did you get the lesson or do you have to take the class again?
Some things that we endure are harder to accept then others, like the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of a job. Even in these circumstances we must come to trust our creator and come to the place of acceptance. This is an individual process and happens quicker for some than others. I believe that one of the reasons I am able to function through my grief is because I came to accept the death of my husband relatively quickly. I did go through the why God phase, the denial, the anger etc. however I realized early on that I could stay in that place or LIVE. I chose to accept and LIVE as my husband would have wanted me to and as God instructs me to do.
It’s all summed up in the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
As the prayer states, serenity comes with acceptance. Change takes courage.
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Nina Mack January 26 at 9:30pm Reply
ReplyDeleteSometimes we battle stress due to work, school, home, relationships. But God will give us the peace that surpasses all understanding. He is there to comfort us when we feel overwhelmed.
Thanks Nina for the response.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct. All of the things you mention above can be stressors, and they all can be changed or accepted. Most of us stay on jobs because it pays the bills and we are afraid to leap out on faith to try something new, not because we love what we do or we feel it is what we are "called" to do. WE CAN CHANGE THIS.
Relationships cause stress under the best of circumstances and even more so when they are dysfunctional, WE CAN CHANGE THIS. We can choose to "change ourselves" and our attitude towards the relationship, thereby ACCEPTING IT, or we can leave the relationship.
The change it or accept it motto works for home, school, job, etc. When I speak of stressors, I am not speaking of the momentary ones that we will have even when we have the best marriage, and love our jobs etc. I am referring to things in our lives that we "allow" to make us miserable because we have chosen not to use the God given courage that is within each of us, or because we are not willing to "accept the things we can not change".
I possess "The peace that surpasses all understanding". This became quite evident as I "walked through the shadow of the valley of death" and subsequently death itself. Even in grief, I never lost this peace. His grace is sufficient.
The Vocal Heart
"Let Your Heart Speak"