The Serenity Prayer Printable Guide

A Resource and Printable Serenity Prayer for AA Purposes

I remember hearing the Serenity Prayer for the first time. I was hungover, emotionally wrecked, and sitting in a folding chair at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. I didn’t know what to expect there, and I certainly didn’t think a simple prayer would be what stuck with me the most.

But those words hit something inside me, something I didn’t even know needed healing.

“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.” Eloquent yet so simple.

I remember mumbling it with the group, not sure I believed in God, or prayer, or serenity, or any of it. But something about it felt honest. It felt like a hand outstretched in the dark.

And I know some folks have come here for the downloadable version to print and put in their pocket, wallet, or purse (or maybe even staple to their clothes like I’ve wanted to do in the past!)

There is no need to wait for this resource, as our Serenity Prayer printable guide has arrived!

We will lead off with that downloadable PDF below, and the reminder to call Ingrained if you need a more firm foundation in getting sober and the structured support their programs can provide.

Coming to Ingrained Recovery to Find Peace

I didn’t stay sober after that first meeting. I didn’t even make it a week. But eventually, my addiction backed me into a corner I couldn’t get out of. That’s when I landed at Ingrained Recovery. I came in broken, guarded, and worn out by life. I thought I was just there to detox and maybe catch a break from the chaos I’d created.

The staff at Ingrained saw something in me that I couldn’t. They helped me begin a spiritual journey, one that wasn’t just about quitting alcohol, but about healing the whole self. And the Serenity Prayer? That became a daily anchor. Not just words, but a mindset. A guide for navigating recovery and life beyond it.

If you’re caught in that same hopeless spiral, I can’t recommend Ingrained enough. It’s more than just addiction help. It’s where my healing truly started.

When the Prayer Became Real

It wasn’t until my second week in treatment that the Serenity Prayer truly began to mean something. I was dealing with crushing guilt over my past. Especially the strained relationship with my daughter. I wanted so badly to call her, to fix things, to undo the damage.

But my sponsor said something that changed my perspective: “You’re trying to change something you can’t. Not yet, anyway.”

That night, I sat on my bunk, clenched fists, full of anxiety, and I whispered it again: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…”

And I broke. I cried in a way I hadn’t in years. Not because it fixed anything, but because I finally accepted I couldn’t control it. I could take responsibility. I could change going forward. But I couldn’t undo the past. And I needed to stop trying.

It was serendipitous that at this time in my life, my sponsor shared with another, less formal prayer used in the fellowship of AA, as well as other programs. This ‘Set Aside prayer,’ along with the time-honored Serenity Prayer, have become core refrains in my life.

Both provide solace and allow me to get out of my own way, and each is tremendous gift in its own right.

Not Just Words on a Wall

You’ll find the Serenity Prayer printed on plaques in rehabs, church groups, and even armed forces chapels. But it’s not meant to be a decoration. It’s a survival tool.

I’ve used it when I felt triggered to drink. I’ve used it when someone close to me relapsed. I’ve used it in courtrooms, at funerals, and while sitting in traffic. It’s my go-to when the control I think I have slips through my fingers.

What I’ve realized is that “grant me the serenity” isn’t about asking for a perfect feeling. It’s about finding peace in the middle of the storm. It’s not that life stops being hard. It’s that I stop being crushed by it.

The Wisdom to Know the Difference

The real kicker in the full Serenity Prayer is that last line: “…and wisdom to know the difference.” If there’s a line I wrestle with most, it’s that one. It’s easy to say “I accept,” but knowing when to fight and when to surrender? That’s the real battle.

A few months into my recovery, I found myself back home, trying to rebuild my life. I was clean, but I was pushing too hard in trying to change things I had no business touching. I thought being sober meant I could fix everything now.

That’s when my sponsor reminded me again: “You don’t have the wisdom yet to make all those changes. You have to grow into that.”

I prayed on that. A lot. I asked God, I asked my Heavenly Father whom I was just starting to believe in: give me the wisdom to not destroy what I’m trying to rebuild. It was a humbling, powerful prayer. And it kept me grounded.

The Long Version Most Don’t Know

There’s actually a full Serenity Prayer beyond the part we recite at meetings. It includes lines about “accepting hardships as the pathway to peace,” and “trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will.”

That version helped me accept the hard days. When the cravings hit. When old shame crept back in. When I felt like I’d never be fully whole again. Reading that prayer printed out in my notebook, it reminded me that accepting hardships is part of the growth, not the failure. It’s where faith meets reality.

Praying Through Moments

Some days, I use the Serenity Prayer more than once, especially when I feel trapped in “what ifs” or “if onlys.” Those are the thoughts that used to lead me straight back to the bottle.

One time, I ran into an old drinking buddy at a gas station. He was still using and drinking daily. And he looked at me like I was betraying our old life. He even spoke out loud how much he missed our partying days.

That night, I almost spiraled. But instead, I sat in silence, took a deep breath, and whispered, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…”

I couldn’t save him. I couldn’t go back and do things differently. All I could do was accept, find peace, and keep walking my path.

I’ve said that prayer in the bathroom stall of a job interview, before phone calls with people I hurt, during moments when I thought recovery wasn’t working. It’s my flashlight in the dark.

The Gift of Acceptance: When You Accept Things As They Are

When I first got sober, I thought acceptance meant giving up. That I’d just have to sit around feeling powerless forever. But that’s not it at all.

Acceptance is strength. It’s the ability to stare reality in the face and say, “Okay, I see you. Now let’s work with what we’ve got.” It’s not passive. It’s empowering.

As outlined in this study on the National Institute of Health website, acceptance plays a major role in addiction recovery. Learning to become serene despite given circumstances will always lead to better outcomes in regards to recovery.

The Serenity Prayer teaches that better than any magazine column or Bible verses I’ve ever read. It helps me understand the difference between ego and grace, between obsession and peace, between trying to control everything and trusting God to hold what I can’t.

A Prayer For Everyone

Whether you’re in Alcoholics Anonymous, struggling with addiction, dealing with family chaos, or just trying to stay afloat in a dark and challenging (the religious among us would say sinful) world, the Serenity Prayer is for you. It doesn’t require you to be religious or perfect or even sober yet. You just have to be honest. That’s where all healing starts.

It’s one of the most powerful prayers I know because it cuts through the noise. It centers me. It helps me pray even when I don’t know what I’m feeling. It gives me words when I have none.

And sometimes, one moment at a time, it gives me the serenity to live without shame, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to know when to let go.

More Than a Prayer, A Way of Life to Be Supremely Happy

Over time, I’ve realized the Serenity Prayer isn’t just a coping tool. It’s a way of life. It’s how I check in with myself. How I redirect my thinking. How I ground myself when I feel like I’m drifting.

It’s also led me to seek out related prayers, more prayers, and even dive into Bible passages and spiritual teachings I used to mock. The funny thing about recovery is it opens doors you didn’t even know were locked.

And while I still mess up, get angry, or feel lost some days, the prayer is there. It’s been there since the early days of my sobriety, and it’ll be there tomorrow.

Start a New Life with Ingrained Recovery

If you’re reading this and wondering how to even begin, I suggest you start small. Say the Serenity Prayer out loud. Say it when you’re anxious. Say it when you’re tempted. Say it when you feel like giving up. Ask for the courage to change.

And if you’re in that place I was in, beaten down, exhausted, and out of answers, reach out to Ingrained Recovery. That place gave me the support, tools, and heart-level healing I didn’t even know I needed. It’s not just a place to detox. It’s where I found faith, peace, and the beginning of my freedom.

I don’t know what’s next for you. But I do know that if you pray, stay honest, and keep showing up, serenity is possible.

And if you feel you are far from that, and need a solid foundation to get sober, please reach out to Ingrained Recovery today to start on the path to serenity in your life.

I know it made a world of difference for me, and it can for you too! It all starts with just dialing them up and asking for help.