When did you last experience a time of serenity? Serenity is defined as a state of utter calm and unruffled repose or quietude. (Miriam-Webster) It is unhurried peacefulness. The familiar Serenity Prayer was first written for a sermon by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) in the early 1930’s. Niebuhr was a Reformed Protestant pastor who came to notice in Detroit as he advocated for the causes of the working man and opposed the forces of bigotry in all its forms. He became a professor of theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York for more than 30 years. His writings have influenced many prominent leaders of our time. But it is this prayer for Serenity that has influenced most directly millions of people. Popularized as a key element in the Alcoholics Anonymous movement, it is also known as the AA Prayer:
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
Like the simple prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, this prayer also begins at a place of personal humility. In the more generic terminology of AA, recognizing a Higher Power and that we are not that power. This is a prayer to slow down emotionally and not get too far ahead of ourselves. To look for the light even in the darkest struggles. It is a call for insight, mindfulness and a clearer perspective of the beauty, goodness and strength within and around us. Niebuhr wrote this prayer reflecting on Christ’s way of the cross and the need to accept suffering as a path to inner peace; the embrace of faith to see us through and the hope that a better life is before us.
Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Seek serenity. And let’s experience the love and power of God together.
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