I hate to be one of those old people who talk about “the world that we live in”. Let’s just get that out of the way right off the top. But mercy, what is up with the world we live in?!? It wasn’t that long ago that we were encouraged to boycott the NFL because they were injecting politics in sports and no one wants that. Now this week we are offering memorials to political influencers at NFL games. We offer thoughts and prayers for children killed at school then move on with our lives but shut down the world for an adult killed at a school. It feels like a major series of major disconnects.

That’s why we have the Prayer for Serenity. Most folks know the opening bit:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

But there’s a whole lot more that goes in following that preamble. One of my favorite lines comes a little bit after that where it says “…taking this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it…” This is a fallen, broken world. It is led and run by fallen, broken people for even more fallen and broken people. There is no one who is righteous, not one. We have all fallen at some point. It’s important to try and keep our focus on the right things and not get suck into the nonsense and noise.

This is the world that we live in. It is what it is, and it ain’t changing any time soon. When it tries to get you down, say that serenity prayer. Say it as many times as you need to. Keep on saying it until you…

–Rise Up