I find the first two words of the Serenity Prayer crucial for me to focus on and never forget: “God grant.” It is another example of how God does for me what I cannot do for myself. I am powerless; He has all power. It’s also one of the early steps in learning some much needed humility, recognizing that this isn’t all about me, nor is my progress of my own doing.

In our local group we pray out loud together the Serenity Prayer and the other prayers from our literature such as the Third Step Prayer, the Seventh Step Prayer, and the Eleventh Step Prayer. I appreciate how in each of these prayers I am reminded that my dependence is on God.

• “…Build with me and do with me….”
• “Relieve me….”
• “Take away my difficulties….”
• “…you now remove….”
• “Grant me….”
• “Lord, make me….”
• “Lord, grant….”

Every time I hear someone refer to the 12 Step program as a “self-help” program, I wonder if they really have any idea what this program is all about. When I was “helping myself,” I was acting out. For me, this is a “God grant” program, because if He doesn’t grant it, I’m not going to have it.