We are called to live in the moment, accept hardship and surrender to God’s will as the means to find our happiness in life. I also really like how the second stanza continues the thought but also sets the expectations for us even higher. Rather than “Courage to change the things I can”, we instead should look to change anything that should be changed. The mandate here in the original version of the first stanza is stronger than the contemporary version. So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,Īnd supremely happy with You forever in the next. Trusting that You will make all things right, God, give us grace to accept with serenityĪccepting hardship as a pathway to peace, I came across this full text of The Serenity Prayer, of which many are familiar with the first stanza. p. 735.I was looking back through some old materials I had collected during college for my website at that time. Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations (17th ed.). When you look a little deeper into its origin and meaning, you might realize that you can use these concepts in your daily life and deepen your relationship with God on your journey. Discover the wisdom to know the difference Find the courage to change the things you canģ. The Final Analysis: I hope that a fresh look at the Serenity Prayer will help you to better:Ģ. But the early influence of the Oxford Group and its deep roots in evangelical theology wholeheartedly embraced the full version of the Serenity Prayer. AA made the message of the prayer a more “nondescript” text to accommodate their all-inclusive approach of a “ Higher Power” and “ God as you understand him” as not to exclude anyone who would seek help. Amen.Īlcoholics Anonymous (AA) adopted the prayer and condensed the wording into what we now know as the Serenity Prayer. ![]() ![]() God, give us the G race to Accept with SerenityĪccepting hardship as a pathway to peace, Below is the full version of the prayer as originally published. Interestingly, Niebuhr was also a significant influence on the German Pastor and Nazi resister Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) adopted his version of the prayer in the late 1940s. ![]() Niebuhr was an American Reformed Theologian and professor at Union Theological Seminary in NY for more than 30 years. The Serenity Prayer is originally accredited to Reinhold Neibuhr (1892- 1971) but had its origins in earlier writings (Kaplan, J. When we devote inordinate attention to the things we cannot change, we expend physical, emotional and mental energy that could be directed elsewhere. (If this is a new concept for you, take a moment to reflect). The prayer reveals five timeless truths (and no doubt more) that challenge us to re-imagine what serenity really is: 1. In other words, serenity is not the goal or destination, rather, serenity is the place in which your journey begins. Serenityflows from a place of relationship and surrender. Of course, this begs the question how do we then find serenity? Ultimately, serenity comes from God. We must find serenity before unlocking the rest. ![]() This is the way of serenity the order is key. Serenity is not the byproduct of this prayer, but rather serenity is the catalyst by which we acquire the entirety of every benefit described in the prayer. “God grant me the serenity to…….” Acquiring serenity creates the capacity to experience acceptance, change, courage, wisdom, and knowledge. These are the qualities of a successful life! However, the key that unlocks this treasure-trove of virtue is found first in serenity. Notice the content and order of this prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Take a closer look at The Serenity Prayer: Isn’t that what we want? Yes, we want serenity rather than chaos! Most of us will go to great lengths to avoid stress, and we will even choose a way of escape rather than dealing with conflict. The Merriam-Webster definition of serenity is “the quality or state of being serene” or “the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled” (, 2021). The Serenity Prayer is not a plea for serenity or what you must do to create serenity in your life, but it reveals a formula or process. What you need to know about the Serenity Prayer Regrettably, in our familiarity with the words of this prayer, we may have lost insight into its complexities. The intent of this prayer is ultimately to unlock the process of developing more profound insight into acceptance and change. The words of this prayer have linked together truths of theology, psychology, and philosophy in an intersection of simplicity and insight, perhaps like no other. Yet, the actual meaning behind the prayer has nothing to do with addiction at all. The Serenity Prayer has helped untold millions over the years and has become a driving force in the world of addictions recovery.
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