Serenity Prayer
The Full Original Copy of the Serenity Prayer
by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)
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.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.
🌱 Origins of the Serenity Prayer
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Authorship: The prayer is attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, a Protestant theologian, who first composed it in the early 1930s.
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Early Spread: Niebuhr’s student, Winnifred Crane Wygal, helped popularize it by publishing versions in newspapers and worship books in the late 1930s and 1940.
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Adoption by AA: By 1941, Alcoholics Anonymous began using the prayer in its meetings and literature, cementing its role in recovery culture.
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Commercial Use: From the 1960s onward, companies like Hallmark printed the prayer on cards, plaques, and gifts, further embedding it into everyday life.
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Text: The most familiar form reads: “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.”