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”. This is a well-known prayer attributed to 20th-century American Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. Does it capture the essence of the Christian life?

In the 1st Century, a Stoic philosopher wrote this: “Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens. Some things are up to us and some things are not up to us (Epictetus).”

Stoicism is an ancient Greco-Roman philosophy, with much wisdom. The core ideas are about desire and expectations. Life is hard, and much of it you have to endure (be stoic). Suffering is unavoidable. Imagining you have a right not to suffer is a recipe for disappointment. Expect hardship, and only set goals where you can make a difference.

The Serenity Prayer is Stoicism dressed up as prayer. If one wished to re-write the serenity prayer, so that it captured the more comprehensive Christian take on life and suffering, how might it read? Here is my attempt.

God, I see brokeness in this world, and I want to respond. Help me understand, how much of the brokenness I see is a product of my vision? How much of the brokenness I encounter is a product of my actions? Where ought I start change?

I desire to change things for better – and some of that is of you. But some is about my agendas and my need to intervene. Give me the wisdom to know that difference.

My attempts to be helpful and strategic – sometimes they help, and sometimes they backfire. Where is your Spirit moving? How can I keep in step with your Spirit, and be a Kingdom ambassador in Christ, rather than in myself.

I lament the brokenness I cannot change, but it grieves you more. Come Lord Jesus, and make all things new.

Rev David Rietveld