What You Cannot Change

Daily devotionals can help you cope with everyday troubles and things you cannot change. Ruth Stafford Peale offers advice through one of her own experiences.

“All your waves and breakers have swept over me.”—Psalm 42:7

The most annoying thing happened at our apartment in New York City. The neighbors upstairs began to remodel, moving walls and changing electrical and plumbing systems. All this activity caused a shower of dust to sift down into our apartment. Water leaked and ran down our walls, creating a real mess.

Nothing could be done to stop the dust and mess. For the first few weeks, I washed, mopped and dusted until I was exhausted.

At last, I realized my efforts were ridiculous. I needed to wait for the activity to end and then I could clean once and for all.

Sometimes difficulties in life come in repeated waves, too. The important thing is not to struggle too hard against something I cannot change, but to hold on until the trouble passes. I know that it is in the trials of life that God can do His most important work in our souls.

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