“In Acceptance, lies P E A C E.”

Amy Carmichael

By Patti Iverson

I hate my curly hair. “In acceptance lies peace.” I get so darned upset reading newspapers, watching television, hearing the radio reporting “junk” with slanted opinions. “In acceptance lies peace.” My past keeps messing up my present. “In acceptance lies peace.” I’m mad having diseases and can’t do what I want! “In acceptance lies peace.” Social acceptance? Racial? Absurdities? Cultural? Anger? Boy howdy, I could go on ‘n on and bore you to tears with stuff I could rant ‘n rave about! Aren’t we humans a contrary lot, like a bunch of spoiled babies? Who do we think we are? AA uses a remarkably astute prayer:

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.

Serenity comes when you trade expectations for acceptance. And then, with God’s help, (James 1:5 says just ask God!) He will give you wisdom so you can change the things you can. Jung said, “We must realize we cannot change anything until we accept it as IS. Condemnation alone doesn’t liberate, it presses.” Think of Corrie Ten Boom and her sister in the concentration camps. Wow—they could’ve wailed ‘n wept. But instead, said, “How greater is the presence of God in our midst than the hell that surrounds us.” Awesome. That’s acceptance!

Why do we spend so much time putzing around being our own negative selves, not accepting blame, punishment, or “just how it is”? Perhaps it’s time to Stop! Think! Accept! Change! Figure out how you feel. Are you hurt? Angry? Offended? Don’t just judge and gossip. Pray and do something about it, or accept it and move on. Oh, I know it sounds so easy and seems so hard. But “Greater is HE (God) Who is in you than he (Satan) who is in the world” I John 4 We give sin ‘n Satan waaay too much leeway here.

We don’t have to accepted outdated mores of times gone by. Folks still rail about the Marx Brothers being anarchists. Jackie Gleason as an abusive chauvinist. I love Lucy as a husband manipulator. I can’t believe folks didn’t accept female clowns in a patriarchal system. But sheesh! Let’s all MOVE ON—fergedabboudit! Things past we cannot change.

Sin sells. Bullies Excel. There is increasing acceptance of sin even among Christians. This is nothing new. I Corinthians is full of defining it, pronouncing judgment and reasons. This is an imperfect world that we must accept in order to have peace within ourselves, even as we grieve sin, but attempt to keep Godly in an ungodly culture.

Okay, I’ll do what I can about my curly hair. You do what you can about your anger issues. Suzy Q. can deal with her in-laws ‘n outlaws. But let’s all remember The Serenity Prayer and Amy’s “In acceptance lies peace.” So—go in peace, dear friend.

Patti Iverson writes from Medford, Oregon. Randpi2@charter.net