--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God, give me grace to accept with…" description: "\"God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed.\" — Reinhold Niebuhr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_accept_god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenit_752950.png" --- # God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that… ![“God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed.” quote by Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_accept_god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenit_752950.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_accept_god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenit_752950.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_accept_god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenit_752950.png) > “God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed.” [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seek divine grace to accept unchangeable circumstances with calm, focusing on inner peace rather than futile resistance. **In simple terms:** Ask for calm when you can’t change things. Key Takeaway Practice acceptance and inner serenity. Themes faith resilience acceptance spirituality Mood hopeful serene Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - grief counseling - illness coping - career setbacks - relationship loss Key Concepts grace serenity stoicism Questions to Reflect On - When is it wise to fight change? - How do you distinguish acceptance from surrender? A Different Perspective Acceptance may lead to complacency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-management/) [Courage to change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-to-change/) [Drastic change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drastic-change/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Nature of Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-beauty/) [Prayer changes things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-changes-things/) [Serenity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serenity/) ## Related quotes > [God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-give-us-grace-to-accept-with-serenity-the-things-that-cannot-be/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-give-us-grace-to-accept-with-serenity-the-things-that-cannot-be-3/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that can be changed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-give-us-grace-to-accept-with-serenity-the-things-that-cannot-be-2/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [God, give us the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-give-us-the-grace-to-accept-with-serenity-the-things-that-cannot/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [For relationships, too, must be like islands. One must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands surrounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/for-relationships-too-must-be-like-islands-one-must-accept-them-for/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [“Lord, grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/lord-grant-me-the-strength-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change-the/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change-the/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [“Grace, you can accept my secrets, my horrors and my friendship but not a simple dress?" Robert asked, hearing my thoughts. - Falling From…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-l-naeole/grace-you-can-accept-my-secrets-my-horrors-and-my-friendship-but-not/) [S.L. Naeole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-l-naeole/) > [If God were willing to sell His grace, we would accept it more quickly and gladly than when He offers it for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-god-were-willing-to-sell-his-grace-we-would-accept-it-more-quickly/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Give me the strength to change the things I can, the grace to accept the things I cannot, and a great big bag of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-the-strength-to-change-the-things-i-can-the-grace-to-accept/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our prayers lay the track down which God's power can come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/our-prayers-lay-the-track-down-which-god-s-power-can-come/) [Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/) > [Prayer changes things. Prayer changes us. Prayer changes life. Sometimes an event has been manifested that needs to be stopped, midair. Don't pray just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/prayer-changes-things-prayer-changes-us-prayer-changes-life-sometimes/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/if-god-is-not-first-in-our-thoughts-and-efforts-in-the-morning-he/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I believe that prayer changes us and we change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-used-to-believe-that-prayer-changes-things-but-now-i-believe-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Reinhold Niebuhr > [There are evidently limits to the achievements of science; and there are irresolvable contradictions both between prosperity and virtue, and between happiness and ''the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/there-are-evidently-limits-to-the-achievements-of-science-and-there/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Perhapsthemost sublimeinsights oftheJewishprophets and the Christian gospel is the knowledge that since perfection is love, the apprehension of perfection is at once the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/perhapsthemost-sublimeinsights-ofthejewishprophets-and-the-christian/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [The essence of man is his freedom. Sin is committed in that freedom. Sin can therefore not be attributed to a defect in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/the-essence-of-man-is-his-freedom-sin-is-committed-in-that-freedom/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Liberalism makes this mistake in regard to private property and Marxism makes it in regard to socialized property... The Marxist illusion is partly derived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/liberalism-makes-this-mistake-in-regard-to-private-property-and/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Human beings are endowed by nature with both selfish and unselfish impulses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/human-beings-are-endowed-by-nature-with-both-selfish-and-unselfish/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [There are historic situations in which refusal to defend the inheritance of a civilization, however imperfect, against tyranny and aggression may result in consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/there-are-historic-situations-in-which-refusal-to-defend-the/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Freedom is necessary for two reasons. It's necessary for the individual, because the individual, no matter how good the society is, every individual has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/freedom-is-necessary-for-two-reasons-it-s-necessary-for-the/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [The pretensions of final truth are always partlyan effort to obscure a darkly felt consciousness of the limits of human knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/the-pretensions-of-final-truth-are-always-partlyan-effort-to-obscure/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [All social cooperation on a larger scale than the most intimate social group requires a measure of coercion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/all-social-cooperation-on-a-larger-scale-than-the-most-intimate/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Man is always worse than most people suspect, but also generally better than most people dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/man-is-always-worse-than-most-people-suspect-but-also-generally/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [When a church reaches up beyond its group and tries to enforce its standards upon a society that doesn't accept these standards, and perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/when-a-church-reaches-up-beyond-its-group-and-tries-to-enforce-its/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [...(I)ndividual selfhood is expressed in the self's capacity for self-transcendence and not in its rational capacity for conceptual and analytic procedures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/i-ndividual-selfhood-is-expressed-in-the-self-s-capacity-for-self/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [The whole art of politics consists in directing rationally the irrationalities of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/the-whole-art-of-politics-consists-in-directing-rationally-the/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Religion is so frequently a source of confusion in political life, and so frequently dangerous to democracy, precisely because it introduces absolutes into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/religion-is-so-frequently-a-source-of-confusion-in-political-life-and/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) [Explore all 200 Reinhold Niebuhr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) ## More Accept quotes > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [The fans can accept a poor performance, but they won't take it when you choose not to put in the effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/the-fans-can-accept-a-poor-performance-but-they-won-t-take-it-when/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [“See, I know what they think about me. That I’m some project. And, yeah, I’ll accept their help. But I’m gonna pay my way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/see-i-know-what-they-think-about-me-that-i-m-some-project-and-yeah-i/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [It's very important to me that people accept me as a transgendered female. But it's ridiculous to a lot of people and I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-arquette/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-people-accept-me-as-a-transgendered/) [Alexis Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-arquette/) > [I've always taken care of myself, and I'm a non-conformist, so I don't accept the negativity that comes with birthdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-van-dam/i-ve-always-taken-care-of-myself-and-i-m-a-non-conformist-so-i-don-t/) [Rob Van Dam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-van-dam/) > [Not harder than it should be, no. We're about the business, we're about the work. It's all about the work, always. We have fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/not-harder-than-it-should-be-no-we-re-about-the-business-we-re-about/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I wish I could just accept that I'm not that good and not be shy about the fact that I'm not that professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/i-wish-i-could-just-accept-that-i-m-not-that-good-and-not-be-shy/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) > [I cannot accept being silent in the face of injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-crockett/i-cannot-accept-being-silent-in-the-face-of-injustice/) [Jasmine Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-crockett/) > [“I hope there is less stigma and judgment against working moms and childless career women. All should be acceptable positions and society should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chan-heng-chee/i-hope-there-is-less-stigma-and-judgment-against-working-moms-and/) Chan Heng Chee > [“Of course I can accept you for who you are. You are someone I need to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-glasbergen/of-course-i-can-accept-you-for-who-you-are-you-are-someone-i-need-to/) [Randy Glasbergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-glasbergen/) > [I can't be that kind of person others want me to be.I know I can't please everybody for just being me But I'm glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/i-can-t-be-that-kind-of-person-others-want-me-to-be-i-know-i-can-t/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [I don't care who you are,Where you from,As long as you love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mks-vibz/i-don-t-care-who-you-are-where-you-from-as-long-as-you-love-me/) [Mks Vibz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mks-vibz/) Browse all 2,963 Accept quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Reinhold Niebuhr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenity-the-things-that-cannot-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accept" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenity-the-things-that-cannot-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_accept_god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenit_752950.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_accept_god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenit_752950.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_accept_god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenit_752950.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed.” — Reinhold Niebuhr", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Reinhold Niebuhr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "God, give me grace to accept...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenity-the-things-that-cannot-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-give-me-grace-to-accept-with-serenity-the-things-that-cannot-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```