The Serenity Prayer is the common name for an originally untitled prayer by the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr.
Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr was an American theologian and commentator on public affairs.
This is the most common version of the words used in Niebuhr serenity prayer. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
It's not in the Bible. The Serenity Prayer is a prayer written by Reinhold Niebuhr on July 1, 1943. Early in World War II.
The original prayer from the American Theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr, which became known as the 'Serenity Prayer' when it was adopted by 'Alcoholics Anonymous' and many other 12-step groups, can easily be 'googled.' See link attached:
The wording of the question paraphrases what is popularly known as the "Serenity Prayer;" the first stanza of a piece by Reinhold Niebuhr. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference." Follow the link below for the entire piece.
Simple answer is it's not. It was written by christian theologian Reinhold Niebuhr in 1943 (Bartlett's Familiar Quotations 17th ed.). This is the prayer in its agreed original version. God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
The English translation from the Latin is: "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." (The text is the well-known and beloved Serenity Prayer of the various Twelve-Steps Programs.)
No. The concept of serenity is communicated in the Bible - peace that comes from knowing God and living according to His will. But that prayer is not in the text.
Its the "Serenity Prayer" written by Reinhold Niebuhr. "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 Addendum: Niebuhr's, The Serenity Prayer (1934) reads: "God, give us grace to accept with serenitythe things that cannot be changed,Courage to change the thingswhich should be changed,and the Wisdom to distinguishthe one from the other. "Living one day at a time,Enjoying one moment at a time,Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,Taking, as Jesus did,This sinful world as it is,Not as I would have it,Trusting that You will make all things right,If I surrender to Your will,So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,And supremely happy with You forever in the next." The Web page of "The Voice of Love" reports the following: "Reinhold Niebuhr ... discusses the Serenity Prayer and how it came to be in his book, The Essential Reinhold Niebuhr: Selected Essays and Addresses: '... The embarrassment, particularly, was occasioned by the incessant correspondence about a prayer I had composed years before, which the old Federal Council of Churches had used and which later was printed on small cards to give to soldiers. Subsequently Alcoholics Anonymous adopted it as its official prayer. The [AA] prayer reads: "God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other." ...'
Dawkins, Richard wrote The God Delusion.
god
not sure maybe god looked past all the ugly in the world and he needed serenity