The Serenity Prayer in bullets:
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.
This prayer combines so well with these words in the I Ching (translation of Brian Browne Walker):
Ebb and flow are inherent in the nature of life. When difficulties arise, accept this and hold firmly to what is correct. Good fortune returns to those that remain calm and detached.
Both prayers have in common:
- Acceptance of what you can not change.
- Seeking virtue by having the courage to hold firmly to what is correct.
- Wisdom is best found in calmness and detachment.
Serenity is the best way to tame your emotions as you accept what can’t be changed, seek virtue by holding to what is correct, and find wisdom in the serene detachment from the situation.
Serenity brings clarity.
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.
It is attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, an American theologian in the 1930s.
One precursor to this prayer can be found in the words of the Stoics and in Epictetus.