In continuation of finding inner peace, on yesterday, I asked you what are you thankful for. Have you thought on this? If you have then your heart should be a bit happier. You should feel some peace and lots of gratitude. I hope you had a long list. If not, that’s okay. Remember finding inner peace is a process and it isn’t something that happens over night. It takes time and no two people’s results are the same. For some it takes weeks, others years. It’s up to you and depends on how badly you want it. If you have to go back and read yesterday's devotional along with this one. Work it out to help yourself. With that said on to the next exercise.

Now think of something you aren’t thankful for? Could be a hurtful past. Anything that hurt you and caused you great pain or is deterring you from living the life you want or being the person you want to be. Is this something keeping you from love? From success? From great health or from a sound mind? What is it? Name it. Speak it. Call his or her name if it’s a person. Take some time and be with this thought because this is important...

Check this out. What has happen has happen. What that person did has been done. You can’t change it. Can’t go back and make it right. You being angry at the situation or person isn’t going to make things better. You holding on to the past won’t make it right either. You giving up your inner peace isn’t going to solve things either. That situation or person that has harmed you is gone on and living whether if you’re happy or not. And you can’t change the situation or that person. You have to accept the situation or person for what it was or who they are. Just like they have to accept you for who you are. Doesn’t God accept all of us for who we are?

And know what else? By letting the situation or person disturb your inner peace means that you’ve given it, him or her control over your heart, your life, your peace, your joy, your happiness, even your future. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t accept that. I wouldn’t give my inner peace away for nobody or nothing.

So look if you can’t be thankful for – pain, grief, confusion – then accept it as it has been given. What is, is. You’re confronted with a given reality. You may not be able to be thankful for it, but you can obviously live with it: You do! -- Each and everyday you live with it, and that's all you've got.

Embrace that truth, not only with your intellect, which is too narrow, but also with your whole heart. Let this experience sink in. Do you feel peace, a tiny bit, at least? Ponder on your strength, your beauty, your ability to thrive during the hard stuff and celebrate these accomplishments, allowing them to find a place inside of you that will start to create inner peace.

I’m praying with you and don’t be discourage when on some days you feel like your inner peace is being challenged. Life is full of challenges and you can make it through every one of them. I’ll leave this prayer with you, which is to me the very essence of inner peace.


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.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships 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.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr


Be so wonderfully blessed in your inner peace.