The Serenity Prayer for Alcoholics: Words and How to Use It
The Serenity Prayer most people in recovery say is this short form: “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’s said at the close of countless 12-step meetings, and many sober people pray it dozens of times a day. It fits alcoholics because it asks for exactly what drinking used to fake: peace, nerve and good judgment.
The 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.
That’s the whole of it. You can say it in ten seconds, out loud or under your breath, in a car, a bathroom stall or a hospital waiting room.
Why it fits someone who drinks
Think about what a drink did for you. It made the things you couldn’t change feel bearable for a few hours. It gave you nerve you didn’t have. It shut off the part of your mind that kept asking what to do. Then it took all of that back, with interest.
The Serenity Prayer asks God for the real version of each one:
- Serenity instead of numbness, for the past, for other people, for the craving you didn’t choose.
- Courage instead of liquid courage, for the call you’re scared to make, the meeting you’ve never walked into, the honest talk you’ve been dodging.
- Wisdom instead of a fog, so you can tell which is which.
Paul says the same thing in his own words. He doesn’t promise that hard things go away. He promises a peace that holds while they’re still there.
“…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
How to use it on a hard day
When a craving hits. Say the prayer once. Then ask: “Can I change this feeling right now?” Usually not. “Can I change where I’m standing, or who I’m talking to?” Almost always. That’s the prayer turned into action. Walk outside, or text someone.
When someone else is the problem. You can’t change your boss, your ex or your mother. Pray for serenity about them, and courage about your own part.
When you don’t know what to do. Pray for wisdom, then ask a person. God often answers that line through a sponsor or a pastor.
Morning and night. Many people pray it right after waking and again before bed, with the Third Step prayer in the morning and a quick look back over the day at night.
A longer prayer in the same spirit
If you want more words, here is a prayer you can pray in your own voice:
“Lord, I’m an alcoholic and I need You today. Give me peace about what I can’t fix: my past, other people, the way I feel right now. Give me courage for what’s mine to do: stay away from the first drink, make the call, show up. And show me the difference, because I get it wrong. Keep me sober today. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Where it sits among the recovery prayers
The Serenity Prayer isn’t one of the step prayers, but it travels with them. The Seventh Step prayer asks God to remove your defects. The Eleventh Step prayer is the Prayer of St. Francis. Many people pray all of them in a single morning. If you want to go line by line, read what the Serenity Prayer means.
Steps & Scripture is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. or any recovery organization.
Safety first. If you drink heavily every day, stopping suddenly can be dangerous. Talk to a doctor before you quit.
Something to do today
Write the four lines on a card or your lock screen. The next time you want a drink, read them once, then do the “courage” part: send one text to someone sober. If you’re new, start here.
Common questions
Is the Serenity Prayer only for alcoholics?
No. It was a Christian prayer before recovery groups used it, and people pray it in hospitals, churches and hard marriages. Alcoholics took it up because it says in a few words what recovery asks of them every day.
Why do 12-step meetings say the Serenity Prayer?
Early members came across it in a New York newspaper in the early 1940s and felt it described their program. Their office printed it on cards and sent it out in the mail, and it has been said at meetings ever since.
Is there a miracle prayer for alcoholics?
There are no magic words. God hears a short, honest prayer as well as a long one. The Serenity Prayer is loved because it is short enough to say in the middle of a craving, and it turns you toward God and toward action.
Who wrote the Serenity Prayer?
It is usually credited to the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. Researchers have argued over its exact origins, but the earliest evidence points to him in the early 1930s. See our page on the meaning of the Serenity Prayer for more.
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