Sunday, January 8, 2012

Jan. 8, 2012 - Today's Gift from Hazelden

Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012
Today's thought from Hazelden is:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference. -- The Serenity Prayer
One of life's paradoxes is that in order to change an unwanted situation, we must first accept it the way it is. If you wish to move forward in your life, first make peace with what you are presently experiencing.
John was working at a job that he had ceased to enjoy and could not wait to leave. Yet despite his extensive job search, he was unable to find new employment. Realizing that you can't leave a situation without spiritual injury unless you leave it lovingly, John decided to make peace with his job and to bless the people in it. This change of attitude freed him to move on to new employment.
Accepting people as they are is also transformational. For years, a man tried to get his elderly mother to stop complaining. One day he gave up trying to change her and accepted her faults. This experience of unconditional love opened her heart to the point where she stopped condemning herself and others.
If there is some area of your life that you are seeking to change, first practice acceptance. By acknowledging where you are and giving thanks for the good that you have received, you will release an energy that will transform you and your present circumstances.
From the book:

Listening to Your Inner Voice © 1991, by Douglas Bloch. All rights reserved.

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