The Prayer of Serenity
An invitation to acceptance, courage, surrender, and hope.
The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr
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.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships 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;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next. Amen.
Acceptance and Surrender
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…”
Acceptance doesn’t mean giving up—it means recognizing what is beyond our control and trusting God with it. Serenity comes when we release what we cannot fix and rest in the One who can redeem it.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10
Courage and Action
“…courage to change the things I can…”
Faith is not passive. God calls us to step into courage—whether forgiving someone, pursuing reconciliation, or taking risks to love boldly. Courage is not the absence of fear but moving forward despite it, because He is with us.
“Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
Wisdom and Discernment
“…and wisdom to know the difference.”
Wisdom keeps us from either burning out trying to control everything or withdrawing when we should act. It teaches balance—when to wait, when to move, when to let go.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God… and it will be given him.” — James 1:5
Hardships and Peace
“…accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it…”
There is mercy in hardship. Trials sober us, awaken us, and call us to deeper trust. Jesus Himself accepted this broken world “as it is,” not as He might have preferred it. That was not resignation—it was surrender to the Father’s will. Peace is found when we stop playing God and rest in His sovereignty.
“Not my will, but Yours, be done.” — Luke 22:42
Living in the Present
“Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time…”
Anxiety multiplies when we live in tomorrow. Regret chains us when we live in yesterday. Jesus invites us into the gift of today—daily bread, daily mercy, daily grace.
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” — Matthew 6:34
Hope and Eternal Joy
“…trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.”
This prayer ends with hope—not just for today, but forever. Temporary happiness here is anchored in eternal joy with Him.
“In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” — Psalm 16:11
Reflection