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The Serenity Prayer is a prayer written by Reinhold Niebuhr on July 1, 1943 in for the Union Church of Heath, Mass. It is used in Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and other Twelve-step programs.
The short version that most people are familiar with goes as follows:
- God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
- Courage to change the things I can,
- And the wisdom to know the difference.
Alternate versions of the Serenity Prayer exist. The following version is said to be the author's favorite version in a letter supposedly written by his wife:Dr. Eberhard Zink: Das falsche Oetinger-Gebet oder Das Gelassenheitsgebet. Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart, 13. November 2001. http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/referate/theologie/oetgeb00.html (German)
- God give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,
- courage to change the things which should/must be changed,
- and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
The full version of the prayer is as follows:
- God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
- courage to change the things I can; and
- the wisdom to know the difference.
- Living one day at a time;
- enjoying one moment at a time;
- accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.
- Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.
- Trusting that He will make all things right, if I surrender to His will.
- That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
- and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
References to the Prayer
- The back cover of the Neil Young album Re-ac-tor has the prayer in Latin: 'Deus, dona mihi serenitatem accipere res quae non possum mutare, fortitudinem mutare res quae possum, atque sapientiam differentiam cognoscere.' This is possibly a reaction to another son of his being born with cerebral palsy.
- In the song, "Higher Power", by Boston, the lead singer Fran Cosmo recites the Serenity Prayer.
- In the song "Feel so different" (1990), by Sinead O'Connor.
- In the book, "Angels & Demons", by Dan Brown, quoted by the Camerlengo.
- In the book Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
- In the song, "Gotta Make It To Heaven" By: 50 Cent
- The back cover of Whitney Houston's self-titled debut album has the prayer
- In the Intro, "Loving" of India Arie's third album "Testimony Vol 1 - Life And Relationship"
- A track on Goodie MOb's debut album Soul Food features the 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. Thy will, not mine, be done."
References
External links
"Serenity Prayer"