Over the past few weeks, we have been taking a look at a small booklet named “Acceptance” by Vincent P. Collins who offers a reflection on the “Serenity Prayer.” Last week we examined how acceptance (or “surrender”) can move us from confusion and chaos to calm and composure. This week we close the reflection by looking at “The Kindness of God.”

We read in Romans 8:28-39: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Vincent Collins calls this the “Kindness of God.” The Kindness of God is the best answer to the age-old complaints:

Why does God let them get away with it? Why don’t people act the way they should? Why are some people mean, arrogant, selfish, vicious, ungrateful and malicious all the time. Even some of the very best can be mean and arrogant part of the time. Why doesn’t God do something about it!

Collins closes by saying:

God could do something about it alright; but, strange to say, that would ruin everything. He created us with free will - the power of choosing to do good or to do evil. He realized that some people would abuse free will, but He gave it to us anyway because, without it, we would be robots. His plan is to reward us with Heaven but you don’t reward a machine for doing something well or even perfectly. It can’t do otherwise. No free will? No reward.

It’s a sinful world. We are a sinful people. I am a sinful person. Accept it! We don’t have to remind God of that. Indeed, just read all four of the Gospels (Start at Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32; Luke 22:39 and John 18:1).

No one ever suffered more than Jesus did when He was on earth. He accepted injustice and did not rebel against it. It was through this very acceptance that He was able to save us. Everything that was done to Him was permitted by His Father for our salvation. For His part, Jesus accepted it as the will of His Father saying,

“Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me; but not my will, but Thine be done (Luke 22:42).”

“For those who love God, all things work together for good.” Simply “accepting” what comes our way can be challenging. Trusting in God and that He has our best interests at heart can be heart-wrenching. But we also cannot win fighting God’s will. His grace will be there if, like Christ, we surrender to His will and wait for his purposes to be revealed to us.