Serenity Prayer Full Version with Reflection
Serenity, courage, and wisdom, and a prayer to live them one day at a time
Morning Prayer editorial team · Updated: November 2026
The Serenity Prayer, written by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, has steadied millions of people in recovery and in everyday struggle. Pray the familiar opening, then continue with the reflection that draws out what serenity, courage, and wisdom ask of us.
Let us pray
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.
Lord, let me live this prayer today, not just say it.
Grant me serenity. There is so much I cannot change: other people's choices, the past, the diagnosis, the economy, the weather of my own moods. I have spent too much energy fighting what is not mine to fight. Teach me to loosen my grip and let You hold what I cannot.
Grant me courage. There is also much I can change: the words I speak, the habits I keep, the apology I owe, the first step I keep postponing. Courage does not mean I am not afraid; it means I move anyway because You are with me. Give me that kind of courage today.
Grant me wisdom. The hardest part is telling the two apart. I waste days trying to control what I cannot and excusing myself from what I can. Give me a clear mind and an honest heart to see the difference.
Help me to live one day at a time, to enjoy one moment at a time, and to accept hardship as a path to peace rather than a detour from it. Help me to take this world as it is, not as I wish it were, and to trust that You will make all things right in Your time.
Let me be reasonably happy in this life, Lord, and supremely happy with You in the next. Amen.
Blessing
May God grant you serenity for what you cannot change, courage for what you can, and wisdom for every choice between them.
How to pray this prayer
- Find a quiet moment and breathe slowly.
- Read the prayer aloud or in your heart.
- Add your own intention before the Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote the Serenity Prayer?
American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr composed it in the 1930s. It was adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1940s and has since spread throughout recovery programs and Christian devotion.
Is the Serenity Prayer a Catholic prayer?
It was written by a Protestant theologian but is prayed by Christians of every tradition, including many Catholics. Its themes of acceptance, courage, and trust in God are universal.
How is the Serenity Prayer used in recovery?
Twelve-step meetings often open or close with it. Its first line helps people distinguish what they can control from what they must surrender, which is at the heart of recovery.
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