It is a common struggle for people to deal with their emotions, ranging from sadness to anxiety and even anger or jealousy. These are all normal parts of human nature that we must learn how to harness and manage. From my use of prayer in dealing with the death of loved ones, to meditation in helping me cope with stresses at work, prayer has opened my eyes to greater spirituality. I have learned that through prayer we must accept what we cannot change. Prayer is a gift that allows us to slow down and remember the presence of God in our lives. Regardless of life’s circumstances, prayer gives us hope. – Amy Larson How many times have we heard something along those lines in church or in one of our Christian community circles or online?
There is only one person on this planet who knows what’s best for you, and that is you. We tend not to want to hear this, because we don’t like it when people are mean to us. But the truth is, trying to live someone else’s dream or become what they want you to be is a waste of your time because it will go against everything that makes you come alive within. Understanding; Serenity prayer origin, Serenity Prayer AA.
Prayer To Accept What I Cannot Change
Accepting that we cannot change certain things in our lives can be very difficult. We try to control everything and keep chaos at bay. Accepting our powerlessness is very difficult when we desperately want things to be a certain way, whether it’s getting out of a bad relationship, improving the job situation, or making the grades. But it is what it is and this is what sometimes has to happen.
Accept, accept, accept. It is a challenge when a loved one or colleague experiences job loss, personal health issues, and natural disasters which have spiraled out of our personal control. They move on like nothing every happened. While, on the other hand, you are stuck reflecting on what ifs? “What if I did this?”, “What if I had done this instead?”, “What could have been?”
The Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
The most well-known version was published in 1951 with the addition of the word “grace.” This full-version reads:
God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will, So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.
Dear Lord,
I know you can see all of this. You know what I need to do and where I need to go. You know what’s best for me and my family, even if it doesn’t seem like it.
I pray that you will help me accept what I cannot change. Help me be thankful for the things that are going well in my life, and help me be grateful for the challenges that teach me how to grow stronger. Help me accept the things that are out of my control, so that I can focus on what really matters—being a good person and doing good work with those around me.
Serenity Prayer AA
Serenity Prayer is also known as Serenity Prayer AA, The Serenity Prayer, and The Lord’s Prayer for Alcoholics Anonymous.
The Serenity Prayer was written by an American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr in 1932. It is used widely by Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs to help people find peace of mind.
Reinhold Niebuhr wrote this prayer while he was working on his Ph.D. in theology at Harvard University where he studied under William James and George Santayana. He was also influenced by the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche, who believed that humans can create their own destinies through free will and action. Nietzsche also believed that it is impossible for humans to know God’s will or the truth about life because we cannot see ourselves objectively since we are always biased by our own feelings and interpretations of events around us. To overcome this limitation, we must turn inward to look at our own motivations and desires so that they do not lead us astray into doing things that might hurt others or ourselves in the long run. This idea appealed to Niebuhr as a basis for his philosophy of religion because it encouraged people to develop self-awareness about their own shortcomings so that they
The Serenity Prayer is a short prayer written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971). It is used by Alcoholics Anonymous, among others.
The prayer was written in 1939, as Niebuhr was preparing to leave as a visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He had been influenced by Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson’s book “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism” (1939), and he decided to write the prayer based on AA’s Twelve Steps.
The Serenity Prayer reads:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.[1]
In his introduction to “A History of Christianity in America”, published in 1984, historian Martin Marty writes that Niebuhr “was inspired to pray this prayer because he saw how people who had tried everything else found serenity in A.A.”
Serenity prayer origin
The Serenity Prayer is a prayer used by Alcoholics Anonymous, based on the “Lord’s Prayer”. It is a short prayer that is said daily by members of Alcoholics Anonymous and other twelve-step programs.
The Serenity Prayer was written by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (pictured) in 1940. Niebuhr was also a pastor and his works influenced Alcoholics Anonymous’ use of the Serenity Prayer.
The original version of the prayer was:
God grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
A year later, AA member Ernest Kurtz added “the wisdom to know the difference.” This addition helped AA members recognize their capacity to understand that they are not responsible for other people’s actions or feelings.[1]
Help me understand that there are some things in life that can only be done by you, and some things that can only be done by myself. Help me find peace in knowing which is which, so I don’t waste time trying to do something that isn’t really mine to do anyway.