Ponder this:

Friday, January 8, 2010

The Serenity Prayer

I often forget that there is more to the Serenity Prayer beyond the first four lines.  I say those first four lines often throughout my days.  I needed, today, to take the time to ponder the rest of it.  

Path

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.


Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr 

15 comments:

Carolynn Anctil said...

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. I didn't know the poem existed beyond the first few stanzas.

Autumn Mist said...

Crikey, no, neither did I! How brilliant. I'll have to jot it down. I think I may need to start an anthology this year, I am finding so many lovely things to treasure.

Lord Wellbourne said...

Like you, I never thought beyond the first four lines even though I knew they were there. It's good of you to remind and touch us with the deeper intention.

I hope your 'pondering' brings you the comfort you seek.

Boris said...

Amen.

Beth Camp said...

Thank you for visiting my poem today, June. I needed to come here and read your words -- all the way through the "goody" cake entry (charming! write it!). My husband had a mild stroke on December 18, and every aspect of our life has changed. Your words here bring me solace. I don't know if I'll be a good "trouper" or "trooper", what codes I'll need to learn, or if I'll be able to make a "goody cake" or write poetry for a while, but I am learning anew to treasure each day. Thank you for writing. I am definitely your fan.

June said...

Thank YOU, Beth.
I'm sorry about your husband's stroke. I hope recovery will come. Any road, I know you have a handle on bravery in the face of whatever comes.

Anonymous said...

I have never seen more than the first four lines. I need to remember the rest.

Thanks for the visit to my blogs.

Tigerbi said...

I am so happy to now have the rest of this poem

It is now affixed to the bulletin board above be computer monitor where I can visit it often.......thank you, June

And, Beth.........please know you and your dear husband are in my thoughts tonight

Bernie said...

I never knew there was any more to the poem either. I love it. It is probably not coincidental that I would see this now. I am always such a doubter and I just got a message that one is not supposed to be able to logically understand some of the things that baffle me. That I can rest in the fact that I don't need to reason it out.

Thanks for your always kind words when you visited my blog.

June said...

I have been reading "Lit" by Mary Karr. In it she quotes an AA slogan: "More will be revealed," and observes that it doesn't say, "More will be figured out."
Quite a relief, that.

Joe Todd said...

Another prayer sometimes started by saying Who's Father.. "Our Father...." meaning to my way of thinking we are all "brothers" and "sisters" and that is a great thing... Just got back from "wandering" and am now playing catch up. Just got the news a pretty good "friend" of mine is out doing some more "research"...Say a prayer

Friko said...

Lines worth remembering, worth living by, worth carrying in your heart.

Barb said...

Dear June,
I really needed this prayer on Friday, Jan 8 - but even today it's quite meaningful to me.

Anonymous said...

Just read the blog -Meditation from the Cardinal Nest - by Ruth !
At January 7 post ,you will see one amazing story about one amazing sister .She`s looking for founds to feed some hungryes childrens .
I just thinking how i can realy help !??
I pray that Joy For All will minister to it's visitors
and will encourage and bless everyone in some way.
We can identify with the disciples. At times, we have
a tendency to focus on the things that are going on around us instead of the One that is in control of all things. When that happens, reality may seem overwhelming, and the problems appear unsolvable. However, we must realize to be fearful
is to lack faith in God and in His provision for us. True faith focuses on God, not on the things that are happening.Psalm 139:11-12
If I say, surely the darkness shall fall on me,
Even the night shall be light about me.
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide
from You, but the night shines as the day,
the darkness and the light are both
a like to You.
in Jesus love >>
Kelly

Midlife Roadtripper said...

It is a beautiful prayer. And helpful to so many.