Powerless - Part 2
Somedays it seems the world is crashing down around and there is nothing we can do about it. It's frustrating to say the least. Thus the value in the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
- Reinhold Niebuhr

It is for this reason that we continually turn over our "stuff" to Him who has the power.

On another note, wasn't Tuesday awesome! The dinner (thanks Bill & Amir), the worship, a packed room! 2 Cakes celebrated (congratulations Cindy & Lana), and the friendships!!! I am blessed with this group and an so proud at how you are all stepping up to the plate! Please pray for Natalie whose Mom was just diagnosed with Swine Flu and for a quick recovery and protection for Natalie and her family. Thank you all for the support as I go into surgery Tuesday for my total knee replacement. Talk about feeling powerless! Larry will be substituting on this blog while I am out so I encourage you to keep checking in for new posts and new comments. Someone might just have something to say that you need to hear! God bless all!

Powerless - not a word we like to hear or own up to. It's safe to have power, it's comforting, easy, and sooo addicting! But most of the time it just gets us in trouble! We think we can do things better than anyone but when it doesn't work, we can get devastated. Our hurts, hang-ups, and habits become more than they were and we are out of control.

Our lesson last night on Powerless reminds us that we are not God. Our lives have become unmanageable, buried in denial. I am reminded of this greatly in many situations going on in my life right now that I have no control over and it kills me! But, I know where my power comes from, my higher power, Jesus Christ. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" Matthew 19:26

In taking the 4 actions: 1) Stop denying the pain; 2) Stop playing God; 3) Start admitting our powerlessness; and 4) Start admitting that our lives have become unmanageable, we open ourselves to God so He can begin His work in us. We need to stop doing (as John Baker says, we are not human doings, but human beings) and we need to start being - being still. Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."

Pride
Only ifs
Worry
Escape
Resentment
Loneliness
Emptiness
Selfishness
Separation

How has pride stopped you from asking for and getting help to overcome your hurts, hang-ups, and habits?