The Serenity Prayer

You are carrying the weight of what you cannot change, and the hope for the strength to change what you can. You are looking for the wisdom to know the difference.

A Prayer for Serenity and Strength

The Serenity Prayer

God, 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.

For Daily Courage

Lord, today I ask only for the strength for this day. Help me to meet each moment with a clear mind and a willing heart. When I am tempted, be my shield. When I am weary, be my rest. Let me walk this path one step at a time, leaning not on my own understanding but on your grace.

For Healing of Heart and Mind

God of all healing, mend what is broken in me. Heal the memories that haunt me and calm the fears that shake me. Where I have caused pain to others, plant in me the seed of true repentance. Where I have hurt myself, show me my own worth in your eyes. Make me whole again, that I may live in the freedom you desire for me.

Short Prayers for Recovery

• Lord, hold me up today.
• Jesus, be my strength when I have none left.
• Grant me a quiet mind and a steady heart.
• Heal the wounds I carry and the wounds I have made.
• Let me begin again, with your help.
• Your grace is sufficient for me.

Prayers for Recovery in Specific Moments

When Facing Temptation

God, the pull is strong right now. I feel the old craving, the familiar excuse rising. I place this desire, this moment of weakness, into your hands. Stand between me and what seeks to harm me. Remind me of the peace I have found, and the person I am becoming with you. Give me the clarity to turn away and the resolve to reach out for help.

For Making Amends

Merciful Father, I look at the hurt I have caused. I feel the shame of it, and I do not want to hide anymore. Give me the humility to admit my wrongs fully, without excuse. Grant me the courage to face those I have hurt, and the right words to speak. Where direct amends are impossible, show me how to live differently, offering my changed life as my apology to you and to the world.

When The Road Seems Too Long

God, I am tired of fighting. I am tired of trying and stumbling, of getting up only to fear the next fall. The road ahead looks endless, and my own strength is spent. I cannot do this alone. I lay down my will, my pride, and my exhaustion at your feet. Carry me through this valley. Let me rest in you, not in what I crave. Hold onto me, for I fear I cannot hold onto you. Do for me what I cannot do for myself, and let me sleep tonight in the knowledge that I am held.

What Scripture Says

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. — Matthew 11:28

Jesus invites us to bring our weariness, our burdens, and our addictions to him.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. — 2 Corinthians 12:9

Our deepest point of need is where God’s strength meets us most completely.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. — Psalm 51:10

Healing is God’s work of re-creation within us, starting with our deepest selves.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. — Philippians 4:13

The strength to walk the path of recovery comes from Christ, not from ourselves.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. — 2 Corinthians 5:17

Recovery is a journey toward the new life God promises, leaving the old patterns behind.

Questions People Ask

What is the full version of the Serenity Prayer? The prayer commonly used in recovery is the first stanza. The full prayer, by Reinhold Niebuhr, continues: "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."

Is the Serenity Prayer only for alcoholics? No. It is a prayer for anyone seeking the grace to accept life's unchangeable difficulties, the courage to act where they can, and the wisdom to discern between the two. It speaks to universal human struggles.

How do you pray when you feel completely powerless? You pray by simply saying you are powerless. A prayer can be, "God, I can't. Please, you must." The act of reaching out, even with those few words, is an act of surrender and faith that help exists beyond your own resources.

Why is acceptance so important in recovery? Acceptance is the starting point for truth. It means stopping the fight against reality—the reality of the addiction, its consequences, and our own limitations. Only from that truthful place can change genuinely begin.

Can a prayer really help with addiction? Prayer is not a magic cure, but it is a way of connecting with a source of strength, peace, and hope greater than oneself. It changes the heart of the one praying, opening them to grace, support, and the willingness to take the next right step.

Related Prayers

• /prayer-library/prayers-for-healing
• /prayer-library/prayers-for-strength
• /prayer-library/prayers-for-anxiety-and-peace
• /prayer-library/prayers-for-forgiveness

These prayers, written here for your journey, can be carried into St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. You may send them, and we will place your written prayer among the pilgrims' intentions there.