I pray this every morning before my feet hit the ground. Perhaps you’ve heard of it.
“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.”
Lately, I have been focused on the second part of that prayer. “God, grant me the courage to change the things I can.”
As I approach middle age (I’ve been on this approach for about 30 years now), I find change more difficult, but never less necessary. Winston Churchill nailed it when he said, “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
What about you? What do you need to change? Avoid competing extremes – trying to change the things you can’t, and not changing the things you can.
Make this your verse for today: “Put off your old self” (Ephesians 4:22).
Recovery Step: Ask God for the courage to change the things you can.
Author: Mark Denison
Mark and Beth Denison, married for 36 years, launched There’s Still Hope as a national movement to call men and women into lives of sexual integrity. Their ministry offers 90-day recovery plans for addicts and one-on-one and group coaching for addicts and their spouses. TSH also produces resources for pastors and churches to confront the porn epidemic that is destroying so many lives.
Dr. Denison was a senior pastor for over 30 years, NBA chaplain, and board chairman at Houston Baptist University three times. With a Master’s Degree in Addiction Recovery, Mark is a certified PSAP and active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Mark has written four books on recovery: Porn in the Pew, 365 Days to Sexual Integrity, A 90-Day Recovery Guide, and 40 Days to Porn-Free Living. His latest book, Jesus on the 12 Steps, will be released later this year.
