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Dear Brothers & Sisters,
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
—Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV), also found in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh)
As the seasons begin to change here in the Northern Hemisphere, this verse often rises to the surface of my thoughts. Does it refer only to the changing seasons of the physical world? Perhaps—but its deeper meaning may depend upon our state of consciousness and how we perceive life.
Ecclesiastes continues:
“A time to be born, and a time to die… a time to weep, and a time to laugh… a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
Scripture reminds us that everything has its time and place. Knowing when to act, when to accept, and how to recognize the difference is the beginning of wisdom.
The Seasons of Life
There is a time to be born and a time to die. Both experiences can be physically difficult, yet both may also be beautiful transitions. Where, then, does wisdom enter?
If we believe that we are only the physical body, the mind, and the ego—the “little self”—we may struggle to see beyond immediate circumstances. Yet we are something greater: Spirit experiencing life through this physical body and material world, when this is the beginning of our state of consciousness, we can move beyond the limited perception that this is all there is.
This greater reality cannot always be seen or measured, and each of us may experience it differently. Still, recognizing it can transform our relationship with pain and suffering, as discussed in September’s newsletter.
How we perceive life is deeply connected to faith. A saint once explained faith to me this way:
“Faith is a force—an energy between the seen and the unseen.”
Everything has its place in this world of duality. With this understanding or acceptance, our consciousness can expand, so that we may discover a deeper understanding and peace of mind. We may not understand or even like what is happening, but we can trust that a higher purpose exists—even if that purpose is not revealed to us during this lifetime.
The Serenity Prayer
The Serenity Prayer beautifully summarizes this spiritual understanding:
“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.”
Serenity: Acceptance
Acceptance does not mean resignation or passivity. It means releasing the illusion that our individual will can control everything.
In Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism taught Bill W. that certain realities could not be conquered through willpower—most fundamentally, alcohol itself. Step One begins with this recognition: I cannot control this.
As faith grows, both in recovery and in our experience of life’s duality, we develop a deeper understanding and acceptance of our powerlessness.
Courage: Right Action
Acceptance does not mean doing nothing. We remain responsible for the choices and actions that are ours to make.
In AA, this includes taking a personal inventory, admitting our wrongs, making amends, changing our behavior, helping another alcoholic, and practicing spiritual principles in daily life.
Surrendering to God is never an excuse for avoiding responsibility. This truth applies equally to those inside and outside the fellowship of AA.
Wisdom: Discernment
Wisdom may be the deepest part of the prayer.
How do we distinguish between something that must be surrendered and something God is asking us to change?
For members of AA, this question connects directly with Step Eleven: seeking “knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”
For others, the same guidance may be sought through prayer, meditation, and sincere spiritual reflection with a spiritual advisor.
There is a beautiful correspondence between the Serenity Prayer and the Twelve Steps:
- Serenity: What must I surrender?
- Courage: What must I do?
- Wisdom: Which is which?
Beneath all three lies the surrender of self-will—the surrender of the body, mind, and ego to something greater than ourselves.
Surrendering our need to be right, thinking that our limited intelligence or understanding is greater than The Unlimited, the God of our understanding. If the God of your understanding is still at fault, or limited…are we still surrendering our self-will?
As the season changes around us, may we also become willing to change within: accepting what must be accepted, acting where action is needed, and seeking the wisdom to recognize the difference.
Only Love,
Michael John
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