Prayer To Be Shod With Serenity And Peace

Serenity Prayer – Applying 3 Truths from the Bible

One of the most popular prayers today is known as the Serenity Prayer. Written by Reinhold Neibuhr (1892-1971), the prayer was widely used in sermons and Sunday school groups and studies. In the early 40s, the group Alcoholics Anonymous began to use a shortened version of the Serenity Prayer in their twelve step program. 

Serenity Prayer – Full Version (composed in 1940s)

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;  So that I may be reasonably happy in this life  And supremely happy with Him  Forever and ever in the next. 

Amen.

Shortened Version 

God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

3 Biblical Truths We Can Apply to the Serenity Prayer

1. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.”

When life feels control, it’s easy to try to work harder at controlling everything and everyone around us! Some of us do the opposite and just throw our hands up and give up on the situation or person. Whichever extreme you go to, peace and serenity continues to move further from your life. 

Accepting and submitting to God’s control and plan for your life is the only way to find peace in situations you cannot control or change. We may not always know God’s plan but we can let go of trying to orchestrate and manipulate events and people and let God work through us. God promises a supernatural peace when we bring our worries and concerns to Him in prayer.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” – Philippians 4:7

“Be still and know that I am God!” – Psalms 46:10

2. “the courage to change the things I can,”

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have received the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is able to supply you with the courage to follow and act upon God’s plan for your life. Instead of fearfully ignoring hard decisions or running from what seems too difficult, we can call upon the power of God for courage to move forward into the full life He has planned for us.

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” – 2 Timothy 1:7

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6 

3. “and, the wisdom to know the difference.”

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” – James 1:5

 “and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:15-17

Adapted from: Single Moms & the Serenity Prayer by Donna Stanger

Share how the Serenity Prayer has encouraged you and how our large community can pray for courage for you in the comments below! 

This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.

Prayer for Healing
Prayer for Strength
Prayer for Protection
Morning Prayers
Good Night Prayers
The Prayer of Jabez
Short Prayers
The Lord's Prayer
The Prayer of St Francis
A Birthday Prayer
Sinner’s Prayer
Prayer for Forgiveness
Prayer for Guidance
Intercessory Prayer
Irish Prayers and Blessings
 

Источник: //www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/serenity-prayer-applying-3-truths-from-the-bible.html

5 Powerful Prayers for Peace Within – Prayers

Is your heart troubled? Are you feeling the psalmist, who asked his own soul, “Why are you in despair? And why have you become disturbed within me?” One of the hardest parts of knowing peace is understanding how it has nothing to do with control.

If you're having trouble with trust or finding the words to pray above the howling of the scary storms, feel free to offer up these words to the Lord now! Below are 5 of our most favorite prayers to speak when we need God's peace to speak over our heart and mind.

A Prayer for Peace Within

Oh Lord, sometimes my insides feel a battle zone, where missiles are falling too close to home. Other times I'm caught in an endless storm, with thoughts flying control.

Confusion reigns, and defeat creeps in to steal my joy. I need your peace—the deep-down-in-your-heart kind that stays with me day and night and speaks confidently into the wind.

Calm my anxious spirit, Lord; all the attacking “if-onlys” and “what-ifs” fill me with needless worry.

I know that trust is a big part of experiencing peace and that fear has no place in my life. Most of the things I worry about or dread don't even happen. So I'm declaring my trust in you.

I'm releasing the reins of my life again and asking you to take control. I may need to pray this same prayer daily, but I'm tired of the frenzy of life that leaves my schedule and my thoughts without any margin.

I need more of you, Lord, and less of me.

I surrender and admit: I can't control people, plans, or even all my circumstances, but I can yield those things to you, and focus on your goodness.

Thank you today for every good gift you've given, every blessing you've sent, all the forgiveness I did not deserve, and, yes, for every trial you've allowed into my life. You bring good every circumstance if I'll only let go and believe you.

Whenever I’m stressed, anxious, or afraid, help me remember to run to you. You're the only one that can calm my fears and end my fretful behavior.

Whether in trivial or heavy matters, I know you will not only give me peace; Lord, you will be my peace.

And when I draw close to you—in prayer, in reading your Word, in helping another, in taking my mind off myself—you will be there, up close and personal.

I can't handle these times alone, Lord. Will you speak peace and calm my storms, or hold my hand while we walk through them together? Will you bring the reassuring wisdom of those who have come through similar times into my life? Thank you, Lord. I'm trusting you.

In the name of the One who makes the wind and the waves stand still, Amen. ~ Rebecca Barlow Jordan

A Short Prayer for Peace

Lord, I come before you ready to pour out my worries, anxieties and fears at Your feet. I am claiming and declaring Your promises for blessings of peace and strength over my life. Bring a peace into my soul that passes all worldly understanding and make me a light for others to see Your strength.

A Prayer for Peace of Mind

Almighty God, We bless you for our lives, we give you praise for your abundant mercy and grace we receive. We thank you for your faithfulness even though we are not that faithful to you. Lord Jesus, we ask you to give us all around peace in our mind, body, soul and spirit. We want you to heal and remove everything that is causing stress, grief, and sorrow in our lives.

Please guide our path through life and make our enemies be at peace with us. Let your peace reign in our family, at our place of work, businesses and everything we lay our hands on.

Let your angels of peace go ahead of us when we go out and stay by our side when we return. In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Prayer for Missing Peace

Father God, my heart is filled with chaos and confusion. I feel as if I am drowning in my circumstances and my heart is filled with fear and confusion. I really need the strength and peace that only You can give. Right now, I choose to rest in You. In Jesus' name, Amen. ~ Mary Southerland

A Prayer for Peace When You're Overwhelmed

Lord, when my heart is overwhelmed, overwhelm me with Your peace. Lead me to You, my rock. Guide me to Your Word which gives me strength and refuge. Help me not to run to lesser things. Draw me to run to You first. Help me get into the habit of taking my “overwhelmed” and placing it under your will. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Jennifer Rothschild

A Prayer for the Troubled Heart

Dear God, Our world is hurting and broken. We pray for those who have lost loved ones this week, please comfort them in their grief and loss, cover them with your peace and presence, as only your Spirit can do.

   We know that in whatever we face, you are our Peace and Refuge, a very present help in times of trouble. Thank you that you remind us throughout your Word, we do not face the storms alone, but you are always with us.  Whispering calm.

Speaking peace. Bringing rest to our souls.

We confess our need for you. We ask you to forgive us for trying to figure everything out on our own, for not trusting that you are more than able and powerful to work on our behalf.

Give us the ability to trust you more, give us a heart that finds rest in your presence, give us the wisdom to seek peace and pursue it, remembering it’s only to be found in you alone.

Thank you that your yoke is easy and your burden is light. Thank you that you care for us. Thank you that the peace of your loving and strong presence guards and protects our hearts and minds in you.

Thank you that we do not have to walk in fear or live in overwhelmed cycles of worry and stress. Thank you for your voice that breaks through the greatest wind and storm swirling around us, and whispers “Peace, be still.

” Thank you that you sent your One and Only Son to set us free. In the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen. ~ Debbie McDaniel

A Prayer for Peace in Hard Times

Lord, when my heart is overwhelmed, overwhelm me with Your peace. Lead me to You, my rock. Guide me to Your Word which gives me strength and refuge. Help me not to run to lesser things. Draw me to run to You first. Help me get into the habit of taking my “overwhelmed” and placing it under your will. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Lysa Terkeurst

A Prayer for Peace to Transform Your Mind and Life 

Lord, how I long to break free from negative thinking and embrace peace and joy and optimism. I invite You to begin transforming my thought patterns and help me recognize, reject and replace thoughts that are not pleasing to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. ~ Traci Miles

Read more of a Prayer for Peace at Praywithme.com – Calm your mind and relieve anxiety and stress with these prayer words

Bible Verses for Finding Peace

Psalm 29:11
The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 

John 16:33
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. 

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace i give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

More Scripture for Peace

What circumstances do you need God to fill with peace today? Bring your requests to our large praying community in the comments below and being to experience hope and security in God's plan for your life! 

Rebecca Barlow Jordan is an inspirational author, speaker, and passionate follower of Jesus who loves to encourage others heart to heart.

She has written 11 books and over 1700 other articles, greeting cards, and other inspirational pieces. Her daily devotional Daily in Your Presence is available for delivery through Crosswalk.com.

You can find out more about Rebecca at www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com.

Publication date: October 12, 2015

This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.

Prayer for Healing
Prayer for Strength
Prayer for Protection
Morning Prayers
Good Night Prayers
Serenity Prayer
A Birthday Prayer
Sinner’s Prayer
Prayer for Forgiveness
Prayer for Guidance
 

Источник: //www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/prayers/a-prayer-for-inner-peace.html

Forgiveness Helps Us Live and Die with Serenity and Peace

Forgiveness nearly always changes lives for the better. Whether we are the one offering this gift or the person who is being forgiven, the blessings flow both ways. To me, forgiving one another for being flawed human beings is an important key to a reasonably serene life. However, this mutual understanding is not always easy to come by.

Recently, I’ve been thinking deeply about the type of forgiveness that is often desired when families are faced with the illness and death of a loved one. For expert insight into this unique kind of reconciliation, I turned to Pastor Tom Holtey, a chaplain with Hospice of the Red River Valley based in Fargo, North Dakota.

In his 20 years of experience with parish ministries and 10 years of hospice work, Holtey has guided many families through difficult dynamics and end of life issues.

He confirms that forgiveness is a common topic of interest during this emotional time. Hospice chaplains Holtey use a wide range of resources in their work, many of which are non-denominational.

In the following passages, Pastor Holtey explains in his own words how he goes about helping those who request his guidance.

The Importance of Forgiveness

“Every relationship, perhaps especially those within our own families, has a need for forgiveness. Most of us know the pain that can be caused when one or more family members cannot bring themselves to give or receive this gift.

I have seen and experienced this between spouses, children and siblings, both before and after the death of a patient. But, I have also seen miracles take place, ending long-festering anger or avoidance.

However, this is only possible when both people are willing to be vulnerable to each other.

“Allowing ourselves to be vulnerable may lead to saying or acting in ways that say, ‘thank you,’ ‘I love you,’ and even ‘goodbye.’ I have seen these changes happen between friends, doctors, pastors and parishioners. Sometimes it is done for a person who is not present or who has already passed away. Other times it is done to strengthen or reaffirm one’s relationship with God.”

Practicing Forgiveness Now

“There are different kinds of ‘Loving-kindness Meditations’ that I use with patients and their families depending on their religious backgrounds. This concept is used in various religious traditions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Buddhism, to bring about positive changes in attitude and perspective through acts of kindness to oneself and others.

Practicing loving kindness can help families heal if everyone is willing to give and receive compassion in a caring, sympathetic atmosphere. This is something that many strive for when a loved one is ill and nearing death, but it is also something we can all practice right now.

Acting with thoughtfulness and consideration towards parents, spouses, siblings and friends, as well as towards ourselves, is important throughout life.

“None of us is perfect, and that is why we all need forgiveness. The journey toward reconciliation is full of highs and lows, but in the end, it is well worth the ride. But first we need to get on board and travel this journey together.”

Opening the Mind and Heart

“Prayers for peace are often asked of me by both patients and their families. Giving and receiving this understanding can be crucial in the provision of peace for everyone involved. I often give ‘Aaron’s Blessing’ during visits and at the time of death.”

Aaron’s Blessing

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May the Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you.

May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

“The ‘Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi’ (sometimes known as ‘The Peace Prayer’) is another I use often. It is an acknowledgement that on our own we are not able to love or forgive as we should, especially in the midst of hatred or injury. It also gives us a lesson in how to go about loving and forgiving, especially in the second half of the prayer.”

The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.Browse Our Free Senior Care Guides

An Ecumenical Prayer for Daily Living

“We all have a need to be understood and loved. In order to forgive others, we often need to forgive, understand and love ourselves first. The ‘Serenity Prayer’ by Reinhold Niebuhr contains many lessons, and they are not just for those with addictions. It holds deep meaning for forgiveness and daily living as well.

“Forgiving others takes courage. Seeking serenity is not easy when others do not apologize or do not accept your apology. Receiving forgiveness takes courage as well.

Increased understanding can be a daily endeavor that leads to joy in each day and each moment, especially in hardship.

Being reasonable about our circumstances gives us permission to be happy when things are less than perfect.”

The Serenity Prayer

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…

Forgiving Ourselves As We Forgive Others

“If the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ or the ‘Our Father’ is part of a patient’s faith tradition, I will often pray this with them and talk about the different translations of the petition about forgiveness. Some traditions reference trespasses in this prayer, while others use the term debts or sins.

I these different translations, because sometimes it is we who have trespassed on others, become indebted to others or sinned against others. On the other hand, we sometimes feel that we have been ‘trespassed on’ or that someone owes us a ‘debt’ or has sinned against us.

I find great wisdom in the words of Bishop Desmond Tutu:

‘Forgiving is not forgetting; it’s actually remembering—remembering and not using your right to hit back. It’s a second chance for a new beginning. And the remembering part is particularly important. Especially if you don’t want to repeat what happened.’

“How we react to these normal human transgressions defines the nature of our relationships. If you wish your parent, child, friend, sibling or spouse to be willing to forgive, then this willingness should be reciprocated.”

A Classic Book on Forgiveness

According to Pastor Holtey, “The Four Things That Matter Most: A Book About Living” by Dr. Ira Byock provides some excellent in-depth reading on the topic of peace and understanding during end-of-life events. Dr.

Byock is a nationally recognized authority in palliative and end-of-life care whose book has influenced chaplains and lay people for a decade.

“I consider each of Byock’s ‘thing’s as I counsel families during an end-of-life journey,” says Pastor Holtey.

Byock’s four things that matter most are:

1. “Please forgive me.”
2. “I forgive you.”
3. “Thank you.”
4. “I love you.”

Byock also adds “goodbye” to this list. Each of these principles is crucial to ending cycles of animosity, pain, anger, sadness and resentment. They are essential for mending and nurturing relationships.

Most religious traditions, as well as support groups, rely heavily on this concept of seeking serenity through forgiveness.

Regardless of religious affiliation or beliefs, I believe that everyone can benefit from the underlying messages of reflection, redemption and reconciliation in each of Pastor Holtey’s examples.

Attempting to follow them, even one small step at a time, should eventually lead most people toward an increasingly peaceful life and a more serene passing for their loved ones and themselves.

Источник: //www.agingcare.com/articles/forgiveness-helps-us-live-and-die-with-serenity-and-peace-200202.htm

Serenity Prayer To Find Peace and Courage During Tough Times

One day when I was teaching a yoga class, some construction workers were using a jack hammer outside during the duration of the class. It did not matter how high I turned up the music, the jack hammer was louder. It felt impossible to create the state of Zen and peace that yoga often elicits.

I invited the class to be mindful that life often hits us with experiences that provoke the same anxiety we felt listening to the jack hammer.

Mindfulness helps us to do a better job of calming our body and mind in the midst of anxiety. So I encouraged the class to stay with their breath and the present moment, in order to experience as much peace as possible, in the midst of the chaotic sound the jack hammer was making.

At times during this yoga class, we just had to laugh about the jack hammer. It was annoying, but there was nothing we could do about it. This experience reminded me that how someone handles anxiety on their yoga mat, correlates with how they will experience the stressors of life off the mat.

The unexpected pounding jack hammer reminded me of one of my favorite prayers written by Reinhold Niebuhr, known as The Serenity Prayer. It says, “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.”

If we have attended a 12-Step group, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon we may know this prayer, as the group mantra at the end of the meeting. We find freedom and peace when we are able to differentiate between what we can and can’t control.

“God Grant Me the Serenity..”

Most of us have an innate sense that there is a power bigger than us that can help us find peace and contentment in the midst of the pressures of life.

Whether you call God your Higher Power, Great Spirit, Creator, or Life Force, many of us believe that there is a divine energy in this world that is difficult to explain, but that we feel and know.

When we rest in this Presence, we can experience peace, hope, freedom and life.

We also intuit that God has us here on this journey to grow and learn, and as we connect to our higher power through prayer and meditation, we ask for help in discerning what we can and can’t control.

“..To Accept the Things I Cannot Change..”

So often we think we can change things that are truly our governing power.

As a child I desperately wanted to control my dad’s drinking habit. He had a problem with alcohol, and I can remember dumping out his beer cans several times to make the point to him that he needed to make a change in his life.

Looking back, it was important for me to be bold and challenge my dad in this way, but I now know that only he had the power to recognize his need to make a change in his life. It was in my power to tell my dad in literal and symbolic ways that I needed him to change, but it was not in my power to make this change for him.

Often when we are in a romantic relationship, we find ourselves wanting to change something about our partner. We want our loved one to eat we do, share our exact religious perspective, and have the same habits.

Someone once wisely said, “When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back to you.” Sometimes, I forget about the three fingers pointing back at me, because it seems easier to change my husband, than it does to change myself.

I am not only a child of a recovering alcoholic, who loves to help and fix people, but I am also an eldest sister of two brothers. If there was ever a recipe for a control freak, it would probably involve these ingredients.

So when I am at my worst, I can be stubborn and manipulative and many of you, I sometimes want to control people and situations that are completely my control. But when I opt for control, serenity and self-growth elude me.

“..The Courage to Change the Things I Can..”

Obviously, I had no control over the penetrating noise of the jack hammer that took my yoga class by surprise. But what I could control was my response to the jack hammer.

I took some deep breaths, recognized my lack of control, and chose to laugh about this unanticipated situation. Often, in some situations, all we can control is ourselves.

But I certainly don’t want to argue that we have no sense of agency in this world. Sometimes an issue global warming seems so control that we decide this is a matter we just can’t change.

In actuality, there is a great deal we can do to change global warming. We can write our government representatives, recycle, use LED lights and utilize less water.

We need to exercise courage to change the things we can.

When we are in a romantic or platonic relationship, we sometimes change the things we can by telling our loved one what we need from them, but we must make sure we do this without trying to control them. It is also wise to not assume that our loved one is the only one who needs to change. Maybe our partner numbs their pain through drinking too much, but perhaps we stifle our hurts through shopping.

When we try to demonize or victimize someone, we are trying to implement control and tell someone what they “should do.” We often try to control others because of our own issues with fear, perfection and inadequacy.

When we judge and control one another, it is because of our own fear that we are not enough. And when we try to get someone to change, we also waste precious time that we could be changing something about us, instead of demonizing our loved one.

But how can we do this in a way that we are not pointing a finger? The best way to approach someone who is hurting us is to tell them using an I-statement and avoiding You-statements.

You-statements are a means of getting the gun out to shoot our loved one. Once we shoot them, they shut down and they can’t hear us.

But if we use I-statements, we might convince our loved one there is some merit to our feelings. Here are some examples of I-statements and You-statements:

You-statement: You are so inconsiderate to be late for dinner. Your works comes before the children.

I-statement: I miss you when get home late. I appreciate how hard you are working for all of us, but having our family time means a great deal to me.

You-statement: You never call me these days. Am I not important to you anymore?

I-statement: I miss our talks. I know you have been busy lately, but I look forward to reconnecting on the phone more when time allows.

Are we aware of the difference between the I-statements and You-statements? You-statements are filled with a need to shame and control a loved one. On the other, the I-statements are an opportunity for someone to own their own feelings without making any demands.

When we try to control someone who is hurting us, the irony is that we can end up being emotionally manipulative and abusive to our perpetrator, if we are not extremely careful. We can be clear with someone about what we need from them, without trying to control them.

If our loved one is not willing to change than we might have to make some courageous choices for our self about how to navigate the relationship.

“..And the wisdom to know the difference..”

Are there any situations or people in your life that you have been trying to control? Sometimes we may face a situation and recognize there are aspects of it we can control and other parts of it that are our control.

The wisdom to know the difference is the liminal place where we find peace and serenity.

For example, this week I realized my cat had created a hole in a wingback chair that I recently had reupholstered.

I was mad as I thought of the money we had spent on the chair, but then I immediately realized that this was something that had already happened that I could not control.

But I had to let go of what happened to the chair and remind myself that I love my cat more than I love the chair. Now when I look at the tear in the fabric, it is a reminder to me that the affection I have for my cat, is more important than a perfect chair.

Sure, I am going to try to minimize the damage to the furniture in our home by doing a better job cutting our cat’s claws, but I also must realize that furniture with scratches are part of what it means to be an owner of a beloved cat. I would rather have my cat’s purrs and love than a perfect home.

When we stop trying to fix, judge, change and control people and situations, we find freedom, connection, peace and life.

I hope you recognize the power of The Serenity Prayer, as a tool to help you discern what you can and cannot control in your life. The wisdom of this prayer can help us recognize what we can and can’t change, when we encounter the unexpected jack hammer, the addict in our family, a significant other who is driving us crazy or the family pet who is destroying parts of our home.

Источник: //www.outofstress.com/the-serenity-prayer/