Practice Acceptance

Elizabeth Kubler Ross did a study of dying patients and came up with stages of grief, the last being acceptance. This involves letting go of any desire to control the situation. It involves giving up the fight to avoid death. It is a peaceful and gentle state of welcoming things as they are. There is no need to try to stop the inevitable.

This can be a real blessing to the dying person as well as to loved ones caring for the person. It is a way of putting our life completely in the hands of God.

For people in 12-step programs, acceptance is a key concept. Non-acceptance involves our self-will; wishing things were different than they are. There is no peace in that. People in 12-step programs rely on the serenity prayer.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Ultimately, we find that we can’t change a thing. That is when we experience powerlessness and acceptance.