The Power of the Serenity Prayer
I distinctly remember the first day in rehab, sitting in the dining hall. I was scared but I was grateful to be there. I was trying to not feel so alone but also trying to keep my head down and blend in to the background. No one else was seated at my table yet so I stared at this little placard on the table. On one side it had some statistic about what % of people that went to rehab maintained long term sobriety. I took note of that fact, feeling better about where I was. On the other side was the Serenity Prayer. I had seen the Serenity Prayer before but on this day, in this place it took on a whole new meaning and importance for me! It spoke to my heart. This was the first of many ‘God shot’ moments I experienced in early sobriety.
As the days went by I found myself repeatedly using the Serenity Prayer to ‘evaluate’ the challenges I confronted. It had a way of making things crystal clear for me. Was this situation something I could change? Was it something I should change? Was it something I needed to ‘let go and let God’? It became the ‘touchstone’ I used anytime something disturbed me.
Today, I still find solace in that prayer. It is the ‘Benchmark’ for me when I am questioning how I am handling any given situation. It reminds me that I am powerless over people, places and things. It reminds me where my responsibility is in a given situation. I am not the one in control. I am not God! It has taught me to ask for help and then trust the process. It has also brought me closer to my Higher Power.
The Serenity Prayer is a tool I have found useful in nearly every situation life has thrown at me. It helps by returning me to a feeling of peace so I can focus on what really matters in the present moment. The 3 lines in that one short prayer have altered my life in ways I never could have imagined!
Do you have a particular tool or prayer that has been significant in working your program? You are invited to share on that or any other topic that will help keep you on the road to recovery.
Thank you for letting me be of service this week.
Cheryl Baughman