The "Serenity Prayer" In Scripture

My first experience at a 12 Step Support Group was twenty years ago, many years before the development of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Addiction Recovery Program. I began my experience in recovery at a Sunday night meeting of Overeaters Anonymous. The parts of the meeting that felt most unfamiliar to me were the opening and closing prayers. Being a life long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was most accustomed to praying and participating in prayers that were not set, memorized, and repeated word for word. However, I did not let the unfamiliarity keep me from participating. I was in great need of the spiritual principles that were being discussed and of very specific support in letting go my compulsive addictive behavior in relationship to food.

The meetings were the seeds of these 12 spiritual principles were first planted in my heart always closed with the group of participants repeating “The Lord’s Prayer”, a prayer I had memorized in my youth from scripture. The opening prayer was always what is referred to as the “Serenity Prayer.” It’s a prayer adapted from the writings of Reinhold Niebuhr. The words we opened every meeting with were these:

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

I came to love these words. They certainly expressed the great need in my own life. You can imagine my delight when one day as I was studying the Doctrine and Covenants I came upon these words:

“Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (Doctrine and Covenants 123:17).

Here was the Lord’s powerful instruction, describing the path that leads to serenity, expressed through the Prophet Joseph Smith. All we are asked is to “cheerfully do all things that lie in our power.” In everything else, all things that lie outside our power, we are instructed to leave it to the Lord. We are invited to be at peace, to be still and watch for His hand.

In the past I would have read these words and felt they must apply to only the great and grand needs of life. My witness is that today, everyday I have the opportunity to “stand still, with assurance, and see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.”

By Nannette W.
Posted Thursday, October 30, 2008

Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
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