Serenity Prayer History
The Serenity Prayer has come to be known and identified almost categorically with Alcoholics Anonymous and other programs of recovery. Members of 12 step program groups usually recite the prayer at meeting openings in order to lift their consciousness out of the mundane and into the collective spirit of God and the group conscience. The prayer is held in the highest regard as a core "tool of recovery" because its words depict exactly the attitude of surrender and acceptance that is most advantageous to any member who truly wants to get and stay recovered.
But, unknown to most people in and around program, the Serenity Prayer was not written by Bill, Bob or anyone else connected with early A.A. or any of its program offshoots.
While there are other similar prayers, some of them centuries old, The Serenity Prayer, as it is used in twelve step programs of recovery, is almost universally attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, an American theologian, philosopher and writer. Niebuhr had no association with AA.
Niebuhr's original prayer was written as part of a
sermon delivered in 1943, eight years
after the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous by Bill W. and Bob S. His original prayer differs only slightly from the one used at AA meetings.
God, give us 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. In his book, A.A. Comes of Age , Bill W. says that the prayer was brought to the attention of a New York member, who saw it as a caption in a regular New York Herald Tribune obituary that read: "God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change,
courage to change the things we can,
and wisdom to know the difference." Everyone at AA was struck by the power and wisdom contained in the prayer's thoughts. "Never had we seen so much A.A. in so few words," Bill wrote.
"With amazing speed," wrote
Bill, "the Serenity Prayer came into general
use and took its place alongside our two other
favorites, the Lord's Prayer and the Prayer
of St. Francis ."
While the first four lines of the prayer could probably be recited backwards by most long time program members, the complete Serenity Prayer is almost unknown in AA circles. It is reprinted here and in the Serenity Prayer Presentation in order to fill this gap.
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
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen. |
|
|
