It may be the most popular prayer of our modern era. Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971), a theology professor at Union Theological Seminary in NYC, preached a sermon at the Heath Union Church in New York in 1943. He concluded the sermon by praying what has become known as the Serenity Prayer. While he may have adapted parts of it from an earlier, forgotten source, the longer version as we know it today originated with Niebuhr. The prayer circulated quickly. An emerging 12-step recovery program called Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), featured it prominently in its literature. It was included in a book of prayers for army chaplains for use in WWII. Today, the prayer has become ubiquitous in common culture. The genius of the prayer’s shorter version is its ability to distill three essential truths in profound simplicity. The first principle, “give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed” serves as an antidote to chronic worry and anxiety. The middle section, “courage to change the things which should be changed” shifts from serene acceptance to courageous changing. The last portion, “wisdom to know the difference” asks for God’s discernment to know when to practice acceptance or exercise courage. Here is the prayer as it appears in a 1951 magazine article by Niebuhr:
Reinhold Niebuhr
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 hardships 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.
Laurie Goldstein, “Serenity Prayer Stirs Up Doubt: Who Wrote It?” New York Times. Larry Rasmussen, Reinhold Niebuhr: Public Theologian.
Rev. Dr. Peter James served 42 years as the senior of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA — 21 years in the 20th century and 21 years in the 21st century. He retired in 2021 and now serves as Pastor-in-Residence at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Even as a pastor, prayer came slowly to Pete. Read Pete’s story.