Topic of the week: Serenity Prayer

[SunnyGirl]

“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.”

Just saying these words, we are acknowledging God’s existence
and recognizing that He is truly the only one who can bring us
inner peace, regardless of chaos in our lives. I've hear this
prayer most of my life but it wasn't until I found 12- step
recovery, that I realize just how important it's been to my life.

The prayer goes on to speak of accepting, courage, and wisdom.
It all comes down to asking and allowing God to give us these
things. It's surrendering to Him.....

The second part reminds us that our trust needs to be in God to
work things out and to recognize that we don’t have any real
control over our hardships or the actions of others. Trust Him
and live one day at a time, enjoying each moment.....

This simple prayer and trusting God has been a lifeline for me.
When times are hard and there is chaos around me, I can grab
hold of this prayer and and remove myself from it and finally
find peace.

Peace on the journey, SG

[BW]

I also need to remember His time is perfect and not the same as mine..He does not work according to my time clock. Just because I do not get an answer to my requests and petitions does not mean He is not working or that He does not care.

It was also a hard lesson for me to learn to accept His and others help "GRACIOUSLY"

"Serenity isn't freedom from the storm...it's the Peace within the Storm"

[majestyjo]

Love the fact that you can't wear it out. It still works in today, just as well as it did in early recovery. In early recovery, I think I said it 50 times a day or so it seemed.

It was so important to stop and just say it, just taking a time out to say it, allowed me that moment to stop and hesitate and meditate and think about what I was doing, then I could stop and think, say the prayer again, and think of what the words meant and what the words promised.

[majestyjo]

Variation on the 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.
Grant me patience with the things that take time;
Tolerance of the struggles of others that may be different from my own;
Appreciation for all I have; and the
Willingness to get up and try again
One day at a time.

[majestyjo]

What do I consider most important in my life?

What situation in my life do I feel the most joy or the most sadness about?

When do I feel the most calm and serene?

How do I use the Serenity Prayer in my daily life?

What about myself am I embarrassed or ashamed to tell another person or even my Higher Power?

Most important for me is to be healthy and to walk my talk.

The Third and Fifth Traditions give me a reason for living in today and I believe I need to give back what was given to me.

Family and friends are important, but if I don't take care of myself and fill me up, I have nothing to give to others that has real substance and value.

One of the joys in today for me is a new connection with a long-time friend who I went through treatment with fourteen years ago.

What makes me sad is that the first fellow I had coffee with who was also in a near by treatment center is still out there using.

In my own life, I have a lot to be grateful. I don't have a lot of 'stuff' but I have been truly blessed by this program.

Normally I can find that space on a regular basis but due to the chaos in my life and my living conditions, it is not as serene as I would like it.

Music, candles, friends and fellowship with the God of my understanding helps me to be balanced and centered and at peace with myself and others.

It was good to know that you can't wear this prayer out when I was in early recovery. I still say it many times a day, and for me in the moment, it is learning to have the wisdom to know the difference.

As they say, in all times of emotional stress say:

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.

My biggest shame is not giving and being enough.

LOVE THE SKIN YOUR IN!

The thing I like about the Serenity Prayer is that it works and you can't wear it out, no matter how many times you say it. What I did find was that I was saying it over and over, and forgetting to leave the prayer in my God's Hands, which shows a lack of faith and trust that He will answer.

It says pray without ceasing, but not sure it means saying the same prayer, over and over again, especially if it is for the same thing. Yet having said that, there have been times, when it was the only thing that grounded and centered me to get through what I needed to do, to get through the moment, the hour, the day.

It helps me to just be.

[majestyjo]

The nice thing is you can't wear it out. I certainly have tested it the last little while.

If I am not mistaken, there is a line in the AA literature that says, "Though we see through a glass darkly,..." through the program and the God of our understanding, things change and we can see things in a different light.

Perhaps I am mixing the thought up with this verse from the Bible.

1 Corinthians 13:12King James Version (KJV)

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Still using the Serenity Prayer and it brings me peace daily.

[majestyjo]

[majestyjo]

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may try to think God's thoughts after Him. I pray that my thoughts may be guided by His thoughts.

From Twenty-Four Hours a Day


Loved this reading but the phrase that followed the title I posted gave me new enlightenment and a new way of looking at things.

"Think God Thoughts after Him!" If I turn my will and my life over to God, after making the decision to look for Him in Step Two, then follow it up with Step Three by finding the quiet and listen in the stillness to pray and listen for His answers, then what comes through is either God Thoughts if I have put my thoughts into His care.

Sometimes my thoughts can get in the way so it is important to quiet them if not eliminate them before I start. Quiet the chatter, and then His Love and Direction can come through.

I have always done that in recovery, but for some reason this put a new perspective on it for me.

This reminds me of the banners, pins, etc, "What would Jesus do?"

He walked the talk and in my first year in recovery, I would take my Bible and only used the Books of the New Testament from Acts to Revelation, Psalms and Proverbs for my daily meditation. I thought the Old Testament was old news.

Later I was to realize, I was limiting God. I not only had a narrow outlook on religion, and an anger against the church, that I had to expand my vision and I went on a spiritual journey that broadened my understanding of my Higher Power.

When I think God thoughts, I have a good day! God is good. Good is God!

He is the Light that directs my path.