This suggests the first balance we must seek in our lives before we change anything else. The Illusion that we have a God-like ability to change the feelings of others and solve any problem we face by our own power, is the source of endless problems. A man addicted to alcohol or drugs clings to the illusion that he can stop, so, he refuses to seek help. He insists on doing things his own way, even though his own way fails him again and again. A woman believes that if she works harder she can make her husband love her, stop drinking, stop having affairs etc. Her focus on her own God-like power ignores the fact that her husband and other factors play a role as well and they may be beyond her own control.
Humans
are not capable of bearing God-like burdens; they fall apart under the strain
of the guilt and pressure. This leads to a whole host of mental, emotional
and spiritual dysfunctions. When we begin to realize that many things are
beyond our control and turn to God with the intention of listening rather than
just making demands, we are beginning to walk down the right path.
There is always the danger that we will go the other extreme, which is just as dangerous. Believing that we are entirely powerless victims, causes us to just give up trying entirely and destines us for certain failure. The perfect balance is to accept the responsibility God has given us and turn over to God everything else. It can not be expressed any better than this:
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
