The Serenity Prayer

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 short prayer is one of the most recognized pieces of writing in recovery culture — recited at the start of countless AA, NA, and other 12-step meetings around the world, and carried on wallet cards, jewelry, and keepsakes by millions of people in recovery.

Where It Comes From

The prayer is most commonly attributed to American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, who is said to have written or delivered a version of it in a sermon in the 1930s or '40s. The exact origin has long been debated by historians and writers — some trace similar sentiments back further, and Niebuhr himself reportedly wasn't sure if he'd invented it outright or half-remembered it from somewhere else. What's certain is how it spread: early AA members encountered it, felt it captured something essential about recovery, and began reciting it at meetings in the 1940s. It's been part of the culture of recovery ever since.

Why It Resonates in Recovery

The prayer distills a genuinely hard practice into three short lines: let go of what's outside your control, act on what's inside it, and — the hardest part — tell the difference. That's not a small ask. It's why the prayer shows up so often on the everyday objects people in recovery carry: a wallet card pulled out during a hard moment, a ring turned on a finger, a small wooden box kept on a nightstand.

Serenity Prayer Gifts at Choices

Browse our medallions collection for more milestone gift ideas, or visit our Resources page for more recovery reading.