Prayer for Serenity

The Serenity Prayer is a petition to God asking for calmness and peace

The Serenity Prayer is a petition to God asking for calmness and peace in all matters of life. It asks for strength and courage to alter the matters within a person’s control and for acceptance in matters which cannot be changed.

The Serenity Prayer is one of the most widely known prayers in existence. It was written and published by Reinhold Niebuhr in 1951, although he had used it much earlier in a sermon in 1943.

Often referred to by it’s first line (“God grant me the serenity”) this beautiful prayer for serenity, courage and wisdom is one of the world’s most famous prayers. Made popular by the work of Alcoholics Anonymous during the 20th Century, the Serenity Prayer is a firm favourite amongst this group, so much so that it is has become known as the “AA Prayer”. As well as reading and meditating on the full version of the Serenity Prayer, on this page you can also discover who wrote these inspiring words, and what the prayer means for our lives today.

The Serenity Prayer means letting go of situations beyond your control and taking action toward things within your control.

This prayer is most commonly attributed to the American theologian and writer Reinhold Neibuhr (1892-1971). The prayer appears in print form in 1950, although Reinhold’s wife recounts that it may have been in existence as early as 1934. The first four lines of the prayer are an adaption of the original text; the next section appears to have been added later by an unknown author.

A beautiful meditation on the famous Serenity Prayer, a three-fold request to God asking for his serenity, courage, and wisdom. This application is accompanied by inspiring images of distant constellations, and is the full version of this popular Christian prayer for wisdom. The prayer has been made famous through the 20th Century by the work of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous).

This often used AA prayer is an excerpt from a longer prayer commonly attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr. Although its origins are a bit unclear, its impacts are not. The Serenity Prayer serves as a focal point for the very spirit of AA, anchoring its members to its quintessential teachings about surrender and acceptance.

We provide the full Serenity Prayers along with an examination of its history, meaning and importance so that we all might carry its lessons closely and transform common hardships into a calming surrender.