The Serenity Prayer: Broken Down

The Serenity Prayer: Broken Down

by Ashley Candelmo

God grant me the serenity to except the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

How many times have we heard this short but powerful prayer. Repetitiveness has it’s advantages, things can become second nature. However, when simply reciting the words to a prayer they can lose their intended effect. So, let’s spend some time to reflect on reason we say this important prayer so often.

GOD – WHEN SAYING THIS WORD I AM ADMITTING TO THE EXISTENCE OF A POWER THAT IS GREATER THAN MYSELF.

GRANT – SAYING THIS SECOND WORD, I AM ADMITTING THAT THIS HIGHER POWER IS ABLE TO GIVE TO ME AND TO OTHERS.

SERENITY – I AM ASKING FOR CALMNESS, COMPOSURE AND INNER PEACE IN MY LIFE, THIS WILL ENABLE ME TO LET GO OF MY EGO AND THINK STRAIGHT.

TO ACCEPT – I AM ALLOWING MYSELF TO ACKNOWLEDGE CONDITIONS AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. I AM LIVING IN THE NOW AND THE PRESENT MOMENT WHILE LETTING GO OF CONTROL AND FEAR.

THE THINGS – WHATEVER IS MAKING MY LIFE UNMANAGEABLE

CANNOT CHANGE – I CAN’T PREVENT THESE EVENTS OR CONDITIONS FROM HAPPENING TO ME OR TO OTHERS. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THESE SPECIFIC PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS.

COURAGE -A QUALITY THAT ENABLES ME TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS AND REALITIES OF LIFE WITHOUT RELIANCE ON ALCOHOL, DRUGS, OR SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR. A DETERMINATION TO STAND MY GROUND AND GET THROUGH ALL ISSUES. A STRENGTH OF MY SPIRIT TO FACE AND HANDLE THE NEGATIVE. TO STEP THROUGH FEAR WHILE PRACTICING FAITH, HUMILITY, AND HONESTY.

TO CHANGE – IN FACING MY LIFE DIRECTLY AND HONESTLY. I HAVE AN ACTIVE PART IN CHANGING. I AM TAKING ACTION NOW.

THE THINGS I CAN – I AM ASKING FOR HELP TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. I’M ASKING FOR GUIDANCE. I MUST DO THE FOOTWORK.

AND WISDOM – I AM ASKING FOR THE ABILITY TO RISE ABOVE MY EGO. I RELEASE JUDGMENTS ABOUT MY LIFE AND MYSELF. I THEN USE MY ABILITY TO ASK FOR GUIDANCE FROM MYSELF, OTHERS, AND GOD. I LEARN THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE AND OTHER’S EXPERIENCES.

TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE – I WANT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND CLARIFY TRUTHS OF FACT. I WANT TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY IN MY LIFE BY GAINING AWARENESS. I NEED TO IDENTIFY WHERE TO TAKE ACTION AND/OR WHERE TO LET GO OF MY FALSE SENSE OF CONTROL.