Side view of woman with long hair in purple sweater and hands clasped in prayer before her face with a lake and mountains in the background — [Image by Thiago Alves from Pixabay]

Today’s unsettled world offers little in the way of calmness and peace. War continues to rage in Ukraine. Israel and Iran are exchanging missile volleys. Airplane crashes result in tragic deaths. Political divisions in the United States run deep giving rise to protests requiring military intervention. All the average person can really do in the midst of such strife is to pray. Need to feel at peace? Try The Serenity Prayer.

The Benefits Of Prayer

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul urged the early Christians to pray continually. While the practice of regular prayer strengthens a believer’s faith and connection with God, modern scientific studies establish additional benefits from doing so. These positives extend to both mental and physical health.

Engaging in prayer promotes mindfulness, or being in the moment, which results in physical and mental relaxation. Breathing slows, muscle tension decreases, and one’s heart rate lowers. Further, research suggests praying on a regular basis can reduce fear and anxiety, improve sleep quality, and bring serenity and peace.

Small wooden doll figure kneeling in prayer with hands clasped in prayer resting on Bible page — Prayers, such as The Serenity Prayer, can provide a deeper connection to God [Image by Ralf Mühe from Pixabay]

What’s The Serenity Prayer?

Paul’s directive in Thessalonians merely instructs believers to pray. But what should they pray? When unsettled or anxious, the logical answer would be to say a prayer aimed at gaining calmness and peace. The term “serenity,” of course, means a state of being calm and full of peace. So, saying something named “The Serenity Prayer” seems appropriate to achieve serenity.

Despite the fact its exact words appear nowhere in the Bible, the Serenity Prayer stands as one of the best known and most powerful Christian prayers. However, Bible verses clearly support the themes the prayer expresses. The first sentence is well-known to most Americans, if not indeed memorized:

“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.”

History Of The Serenity Prayer

Authorship of The Serenity Prayer is attributed to Protestant minister Reinhold Niebuhr, who served as a professor at Union Theological Seminary for over 30 years. Although published in 1951, the words were previously used by Niebuhr in a sermon he preached in 1943. At that troubling time, the struggles of World War II loomed large. A leading intellectual and public theologian, Niebuhr wrote about the interaction of politics, religion, and public policy and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964.

A co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill W., introduced Niebuhr’s prayer to AA in the early 1940’s. Participants recite The Serenity Prayer at the beginning and the end of AA meetings, and milestone medallions awarded to AA members bear its most famous words. Other twelve-step programs have embraced The Serenity Prayer as did the YWCA early on.

Cover of book by Reinhold Niebuhr, author of The Serenity Prayer, featuring his picture — The Serenity Prayer’s author wrote about politics and religion [Image from Amazon.com]

Basics Of The Serenity Prayer

Four essential concepts provide the foundation of The Serenity Prayer. First, humans must acknowledge their limitations and needs while acknowledging God’s love for us and His desire to provide for us. Second, man has to accept the reality of the situation he faces even if the facts are difficult and painful. Third, people must have courage to take action when circumstances are within their control. Fourth, man needs wisdom to discern between what can and what cannot be changed.

The beginning of The Serenity Prayer, “God grant me,” immediately acknowledges the individual’s need for help by asking God to provide. The words then require peace be made with what the person praying cannot change. That person must rise above their fear, step out of their comfort zone, and become active rather than passive for those things which they can change. Finally, with wisdom provided by God, they must distinguish between what to accept and what to try to change.

Black and white photo of a sign reading "WISDOM" posted on a tree — The Serenity Prayer asks God to provide wisdom to direct us [Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay]

Application Of The Serenity Prayer

While the steps set out in The Serenity Prayer can be easily grasped, the life application sometimes proves more difficult. Asking God for something probably comes easily, but utilizing this particular prayer requires our admission that we need help and cannot handle something on our own. We would like to exhibit courage, but fear often paralyzes us. God, the Creator of the world, sees the big picture, but we don’t. He has to provide us with discernment and wisdom.

At its most basic, The Serenity Prayer is a simple cry of “Help!” to God. Knowing that He loves us and is all-powerful provides the conclusion that He’s got the situation for us. Circumstances and concerning world events may occur around us that we are powerless to change. Nevertheless, God is unchanging, all-powerful, and loving. Relying on His provision to see us through scary or tough times is the best option available in a scary and unsettling world. Need peace and calm while living in it? Try The Serenity Prayer.