Prayer finder · official texts · clear context
Find the prayer you came for
These five prayers are heard in different parts of A.A. life. The Third and Seventh Step Prayers belong to the Big Book’s sequence of action. The prayer associated with St. Francis appears as a meditation in the Twelve and Twelve. The Serenity Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer predate A.A. and are used by many groups. Choose a prayer below to recognize it, understand its place, and open the complete text or official A.A. record.
Recognize the prayer, then read it in full
Familiar opening · place in A.A. · official textThird Step Prayer
Prayer of decisionChapter Five, “How It Works”
“God, I offer myself to Thee…”
- Its place
- After the Third Step decision and immediately before Step Four inventory.
- Its direction
- From self-directed living toward usefulness, service, and the care of a Higher Power.
- What follows
- The book calls this prayer a beginning and moves directly into personal inventory.
Seventh Step Prayer
Prayer of humilityChapter Six, “Into Action”
“My Creator, I am now willing…”
- Its place
- After Step Five, the Step Six review, and the examination of willingness.
- Its direction
- A request for the removal of what obstructs usefulness and for strength to carry out what comes next.
- What follows
- The text turns immediately toward the harms list and the work of Steps Eight and Nine.
Prayer associated with St. Francis
Prayer of meditationStep Eleven
“Lord, make me a channel of thy peace…”
- Its place
- Inside the Step Eleven essay as an extended example of prayer and meditation.
- Its direction
- From seeking comfort and understanding toward offering love, forgiveness, hope, light, and joy.
- How it is used
- The essay reads it slowly, reflects on its images, and compares its direction with daily conduct.
Serenity Prayer
Prayer of acceptanceCarried through A.A. from a newspaper clipping
“God grant me the serenity to accept…”
- Its place
- Used by many groups in meetings and by members in daily life; it was not written by A.A.
- Its direction
- Acceptance of what cannot be changed, courage to act where change is possible, and wisdom to distinguish between them.
- A.A. history
- After the prayer reached A.A.’s New York office in 1941, Ruth Hock began sharing it and 500 wallet cards were printed.
The Lord’s Prayer
Used by some groupsEarly custom and group autonomy
“Our Father who art in heaven…”
- Its place
- A closing prayer in some A.A. meetings; other groups use a different prayer, silent prayer, or no prayer.
- A.A. history
- Some pioneer members encountered it in Oxford Group meetings and carried the custom into early A.A.
- Who decides
- Each autonomous group determines whether prayer belongs in its format and which prayer it uses.
What matters when these prayers are heard in A.A.
Action · meditation · group choiceThe Step prayers belong inside action
The Third and Seventh Step Prayers stand between earlier preparation and the work that follows. Their meaning is carried by that movement.
Slow attention matters more than recital
The Step Eleven essay uses the St. Francis prayer to move attention from what one wants to receive toward what one can offer.
Familiar does not mean authored by A.A.
The Serenity Prayer and Lord’s Prayer came from outside the Fellowship. Their use in A.A. does not change their earlier origins.
No single prayer is required at every meeting
Groups decide locally whether prayer is part of their format. A visitor may therefore encounter different closings in different rooms.
Complete official material
Continue from the familiar line into the full context
The complete A.A. books show what precedes and follows the Step prayers. AA.org also provides text, audio, and ASL access, plus the historical record for prayers adopted from outside the Fellowship.