“Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” (The Serenity Prayer is the common name for an originally untitled prayer written by the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr in the 1930s or early 1940s.)
One day I went to visit my grandma. She asked me how I was doing and I told her I am doing my best to stay strong. She shared the above prayer with me. I am not very religious but this prayer really caught my attention. After I left my grandma’s house I kept thinking about what she had said and I went home and “googled” it so that I could find out more about it. I am so thankful that she told me this because every time things get tough I think about what she told me.
You do not have to be religious to allow this to help you. Just think of it this way, there are some things that you cannot change. Instead of stressing over the things that you can’t change you need to stop and think about it. If you can’t change it then accept it and find a way to live with it. If the thing that is causing you stress is something that you can change, stop wasting time and stressing…DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
This is how I applied my grandma’s help to my life. Obviously I cannot remove Travis’s tumor. Sitting around being sad and depressed because he has it will only make matters worse. I have learned to accept the fact that he has a Schwannoma tumor. It is just a fact of life. (That is the part that I can’t change.) I do have control over how I let this tumor effect our life. Rather than be negative I do my best to see the positive side of it all. I cherish every moment that I have with Travis and everyone else close to me. I try and live my life to the fullest and not get upset about little things. (This is the part of my life where I change things.)
I kind of feel like this was a rambling post but the prayer is something that helps me everyday day and something that I think is very simple and can help so many other people.
17 responses so far ↓
1 Bertha P Jordan // Aug 21, 2008 at 08:46
I live by this Prayer daily.
2 May // Dec 12, 2008 at 15:07
I pray the God of your grandma continues to give you his peace and may you come to know Him as your God as well.
This prayer has brought me ,by the grace of God, great peace.
3 JOEVIEL GOES // Feb 2, 2009 at 05:06
Next month im answerin my board exams and when ever i think about my studies i get a terrible headache n lazyness to study. My aunty keeps on calling me from dubai encouraging me to study for my board exams and she has also suggested me to say the serenity prayer when i rise from bed early morning. im very stressed for my exams but ill always say the serenity prayer when i rise from bed and study hard for my exams… and i have full faith in JESUS CHRIST that ill will pass my exams with the help of this prayer… GOD BLESS…
4 johnny // Feb 4, 2009 at 12:01
I too and not very religious, yet this prayer is a source of inspiration for me.
5 KENDRA JONES // Mar 13, 2009 at 21:56
THANK U FOR REMINDING ME THAT PRAYER. IT TOUC MY SOUL TO MAKE ME KNOW HEARS MY CRY.MAY GOD HAVE PEACE IN OUR HEART MIND SOUL HERE ON EARTH.
6 KENDRA JONES // Mar 13, 2009 at 22:02
THANK U SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY AND REMINDING US ALL OF THE LORDS PRAYER.IT REALLY HELP MY SOUL. I KNOW GOD IS HEARING OUR CRY HERE ON EARTH.CONTINUE BE BLESSED AND KNOW GOD HAS HEALED THE LAND. WHEN HE CAME DOWN DIE FOR OUR SINS.
7 Andrew W. // Jul 28, 2009 at 12:36
I am Not extremely Religious either… I believe in God, I believe in heaven and hell, but I don’t believe that we need to Pray to our God to know how much he means to us… he Gave us this Short time Here and we should Not have to Waste the time he gave us going to 3 hours of church… but that is not the point… I am an EMT/FireFighter for my Local Department and This Prayer Helps All of my Co-workers and Myself out Daily when we get to a bad scene… we have to Remember we’re Trained to do the Best we Can, say this as we Walk up to the scene and we Take a Deep Breathe and Do our best… Sometimes it’s not enough… but We Cannot Change somethings… and when we can we need to courage to Get in there and DO IT! and we ALL thank God for giving us the Wisdom to Know the Difference! With out this Prayer All Deaths would be SO much Harder than they All ready Are!
8 raymond l smelser // Jul 30, 2009 at 07:53
Thank you for all your comments. I found a paper with this prayer on it and it has stuck with me now for year. its has been a big help. I had a fall six years broke my nick have nerve damage
im trying to learn to walk again, my hands dont work well, this prayer keeps me going.’
9 rianne // Aug 12, 2009 at 05:48
thank you for reminding me.. that I must be thankfull fot the things I have.
10 trish // Sep 11, 2009 at 04:20
im absoultly against religion, you couldn’t have said and explained it better. Totally was able to see the meaning behind it without involving a GOD or whatever.Thanx well said:)
11 cindy // Nov 7, 2009 at 17:49
I heard this saying in a movie. Took it in mind and want to make this saying for my grandbabies room. gonna make letters and put on the wall. I may not be alive to see when they realize what it really means, but at least they will see. we all hope. i have faith.
12 jasonya // Dec 6, 2009 at 16:10
Thank yall so much it feel so good to know that there is somebody somewhere that is living by these beautiful words as will as I am I lost my mom in march and my heart hasn’t been the same since so I trying my best to cope. I hope and pray that all of u say bless and remember GOD so love the world he gave his only begotten son
13 michael preston // Apr 26, 2010 at 14:32
Thank you so much for remembering this prayer. I just had a break up with the love of my life. All i was doing was trying to change how she felt towards me and it was tearing me up inside. I now accept that we never might together again or even talk again. Even though it hurts so much I can’t change it. So baby I love you and i set you free. If were meant to be together then we will be.
14 Dee Temba // Oct 21, 2010 at 01:00
What a wake-up call! I had “forgotten” about this serenity prayer. It embraces a human spirit, daily happenings, the past, present and future.
15 Rebecca // Jan 16, 2011 at 15:17
This prayer helped me the first time I was in hospital, it was on a little card outside the hospital chapel and has always stayed in mind.
16 Henry // Mar 27, 2011 at 10:33
I understand the point of serenity and courage except for the wisdom to know the difference. What does it means?
17 Lena // Oct 13, 2011 at 04:30
Thank you for posting this. You have no idea how much this has helped me put things in perspective. God is so good…he spared me from cancer and now I really know that every breath is precious and we should not worry over things that block us from true happiness that God wants for us
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