We live in unsettling times with regular attacks on what is good and right, as well as, on the freedom, rights, and wellbeing of families and individuals. The onslaught advances on multiple fronts like from government, healthcare, economics, media, education, and technology. Do you feel unsettled, weary, worried, or dissatisfied? Do you long for something better? Some things you can and should change, but others are beyond your control. In either case, accept that God is allowing you to be where you are at this time to learn from him and to be his representative for good. Reinhold Neibuhr beautifully articulated the need we each have for humble acceptance in this prayer, “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 [Jesus] 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; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with him forever and ever in the next. Amen.” Enjoy God’s peace and contentment through active faith by accepting him, accepting people, and accepting your role in bringing change for good where you can.
Accept God
A lifestyle of acceptance begins with accepting God. He created you and loves you. He wants you to be with him, to be like him, and to do what he does. God makes this possible through Jesus, who is God the Son. Anyone who accepts Jesus to save them from their sinful waywardness can know God and receive his abundant, everlasting life. King David summarizes how awesome God is in Psalm 145.
"The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works. The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy" (Psalm 145:8-20).
When you accept Jesus to save you, he becomes your rock-solid foundation from which you can effectively work with turbulent people and from which you can weather stormy trials (Matthew 7:24-27; Psalm 18).
Accept People
Jesus taught that the greatest activities you can be involved in are loving God and loving others as he did (Matthew 22:34-40; John 13:34). After you accept God, accept yourself and others. God values you not because you are beautiful, smart, caring, creative, wealthy, well known, or produce quality work. No, he values you because he created you in his image and wants you to share in the love he has within his triune nature of Father, Son, and Spirit. God loves you so much that he gave his Son, Jesus, to die and rise again to save you from your broken, rebellious, and deadly ways (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5). So don’t think too highly of yourself or too lowly. Instead revel in the precious truth that God has designed you to be one with him and to accomplish unimaginable greatness through him. Then treat other people the way God treats you. Resist valuing people based on how they make you feel, or what they can offer to benefit you. Instead honor them for who they are as a unique person whom God created and has glorious plans for. It can be challenging to separate people’s value from their actions because many people don’t act godly. They can be selfish, cruel, hateful, and destructive. But by God’s grace and power, pray for your enemies, overcome evil with good, be kind when offended, and serve others before yourself (Matthew 5:43-48; Romans 12:9-21; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Philippians 2:3-4). Use what makes you great in God to help others become great in God.
Accept Difficulty
Since we live in a fallen world filled with broken people, you will experience difficulty and heartache. But be encouraged that, for those who accept God, he redeems challenging circumstances, suffering, and even the evil that people do to transform believers into the likeness of Jesus and to prepare them to reign in his eternal kingdom (Romans 8:28-30; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Here are a few passages from the Bible that address this. “Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:1-5). “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:7-11). Therefore instead of asking God to immediately remove any difficulty when it arises, accept it and ask for God to teach you through it as he resolves it. Know that God will use it for good in his perfect way and timing.
Accept Responsibility
Given how awesome God is, how special people made in his likeness are, and how transformative trials can be, accept what God wants to do through you to reach others with his love and salvation. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). As you do, rest in the peace of Jesus, for you are with God, carrying out his will. There’s no better place to be. Even though it is hard at times, it’s worth it. Humbly learn from people and your circumstances to draw even closer to God. As you give out of yourself, God fills you will more of himself. The apostle, Paul, describes this natural law of the harvest which God has instituted. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Sow all that God is working in you to make the lives of others better. That is your mission—to be the hands, feet, voice, salt, and light of God to others. Jesus told his disciples, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). You are loved, so love others. You are blessed, so bless others. You are forgiven, so forgive others. You are comforted, so comfort others. You have been taught, so teach others. You have been adopted into God’s family, so call others home.
Conclusion
Accept God for who he is. Accept his transforming providence in present trials and his faithful promise of future glory. By God’s grace and power, accept people with open arms as God has accepted you. Joyfully give of the time, talents, and treasures he has given you in order to help save them.