Serenity Prayer

by Dr. Ann Pearson on May 04, 2020

Serenity 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;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.
Amen.

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

Writers have said the Serenity Prayer is a petition to God asking for calmness, peace, courage and guidance in all matters of life. The short version of the Serenity Prayer has been used by Alcoholics Anonymous since the 1940’s and is still used today.

So why is this prayer significant and pertinent today? As humans we struggle and are challenged to accept things we cannot change. We have our own ideas and plans and are called to grow in to God’s plans. Let’s reflect on this prayer.

God Grant me the Serenity to Accept the Things I cannot Change. When life feels out of control, we work harder at controlling everything and everyone around us. Accepting and submitting to God’s control and plan is one way to find peace. We may not always know God’s plan but we can let go of trying to orchestrate and manipulate events and people and let God work through us. God promises a peace when we bring our worries and concerns to Him in prayer.

Courage to Change the Things I can. When you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have received the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can supply the courage to follow God’s plan for your life.

And wisdom to know the difference. Wisdom is a gift that God promises to give to those who ask for it. We can grow in wisdom and make better decisions when we spend time reading the Bible and communicating with God through prayer. God will lead you as you remain in His will.

Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time. We are living each day one moment at a time and we are to give thanks for God creating this world we live in. Don’t miss the gift of God’s creation.

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world. We are going to face hard times so we must accept the challenges. We knowingly live in a fallen world and sin can cause such havoc as it did in the Garden of Eden. Through our obedience and witness we will see God provide and conquer all.

As it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right. At times, our worldview does not pan out the way we intended it to be but God can make all things new. We struggle to change the world but God can change all in a moment’s notice. He is Supreme above all names and can handle any situation that arises.

If I surrender to His Will; So that I may be reasonably happy in this life. Surrendering is giving up or letting go and yet, gaining the fullness of life. God wants a relationship with each of us but there can only be one Master, God, not ourselves. He wants an abundant life for us but we have to walk in His path not our path.

And supremely happy with Him Forever and ever in the next. Following God is the everlasting plan that I pray each of us will choose. Life is only temporary here on earth but our eternal home is in Heaven. May we all find our way Home.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for the reminder that life is fragile and temporary and so are our difficult circumstances. It is easy to feel overwhelmed because this life is all we know. Help us lift our eyes to You from where our help comes. You have prepared a place for all God’s children and we find comfort in knowing you are always with us. We give thanks that You have sustained us in days past and will bring us through the days ahead. We offer this prayer to You. In Christ’s Holy Name Amen.

Whatever It Takes,

Dr. Ann Pearson

About the Author

Dr. Ann Pearson

Ann graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.S. in Consumer Economics and household Equipment. She has a Masters in Science in Grief Counseling and Thanatology as well as a Doctorate in Philosophy of Pastoral Counseling and Thanatology from Breyer State University.

Her early professional career was spent working with the Tennessee Valley Authority in Knoxville, helping families of low income; working for the City of Charlotte Public Works Dept. and as a preschool teacher in Knoxville, Tennessee, Mobile and Fairhope AL. Ann has lived in Fairhope since 1986 where she immediately began serving in the youth department of Fairhope UMC. She joined the staff in 1990 as Youth Director, serving twice in this position and was also the interim Director of Children and Family Ministries for two years here! Ann had dual positions here at Fairhope UMC as Youth Director and Director of Caring Ministries which led to her becoming the full time Director of Caring Ministries in 2000. Ann loves her church family and appreciates the humble opportunity to be serving in this community. Ann has 2 children: daughter, Allison (Ryan) and son, Brad (Kate) and four granddaughters between the two! You will come to know she is passionate about University of Alabama Football, Grayton Beach and taking care of the people in this community by offering love, peace and God’s grace.

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