As we have completed our exploration of the Beatitudes and how they speak into our own lives, the lives of our loved ones in need of healing and prayer, and the lives of the men and women we serve at Helping Up Mission, we will now shift gears to reflect on prayers that are central to the AA/NA recovery journey.

The first prayer we will explore is the Serenity Prayer—attributed to theologian Reinhold Niebuhr—which, after the Lord’s Prayer, is perhaps the most widely used prayer in AA and NA. Why is this prayer so deeply meaningful to those in recovery? Let’s begin with its opening lines:

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.

What does serenity mean? In this prayer, serenity refers to a state of inner calm and clarity—a peaceful steadiness even amid life’s chaos. The lives of individuals struggling with substance use disorder are often marked by chaos, instability, and repeated cycles of brokenness and lostness. Serenity becomes the ultimate hope: to live with peace rather than turmoil, even when life remains challenging.

Next comes acceptance—one of the most critical principles in recovery, especially in Steps 1, 2, and 3, where we admit that our lives have become unmanageable and recognize that healing requires a power greater than ourselves. Until someone struggling with addiction can accept that they are not in control, transformation becomes much more difficult.

But acceptance is not only for addiction recovery. Every day, we face circumstances beyond our control—relationships, health concerns, losses, disappointments. Learning not to let these realities trigger us into emotional reactivity is both the challenge and the gift of acceptance.

Then comes courage—the willingness to take responsibility where change is possible. Courage means choosing proactive growth over passivity. It means taking meaningful action in the areas where we can influence healing, relationships, behavior, and spiritual growth.

And finally, wisdom—perhaps the most difficult and most important part of all. How do we know when to accept and when to act? In recovery, this discernment comes through pausing, praying, and listening for the quiet wisdom of our Higher Power. It is that inner guidance that helps us recognize which situations require surrender and which call for courageous action.

As we lift our daily prayers—for our loved ones, for the men and women at HUM, and for all those on our prayer list—may God grant us serenity in what we cannot control, courage in what we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

God grant me the serenity.