OA Prayers

Serenity Prayer: 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.

The OA Promise: I put my hand in yours, and together we can do what we could never do alone. No longer is there a sense of hopelessness, no longer must we each depend upon our own unsteady willpower. We are all together now, reaching out our hands for power and strength greater than ours, and as we join hands, we find love and understanding beyond our wildest dreams.

And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation–some fact of my life–unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God’s world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.

Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (4th Edition), page 417

Twelve Step Meditation & Prayers 

First Step Prayer[s]:

Dear Lord,
I admit that I am powerless over my food addiction. I admit that my life is unmanageable when I try to control it. Help me this day to understand the true meaning of powerlessness. Remove from me all denial of my addiction.

Today, I ask for help with my food addiction. Denial has kept me from seeing how powerless I am & how my life is unmanageable. I need to learn & remember that I have an incurable illness & that abstinence is the only way to deal with it.

Second Step Prayer[s]:

Heavenly Father, I know in my heart that only you can restore me to sanity. I humbly ask that you remove all twisted thought & addictive behavior from me this day. Heal my spirit & restore in me a clear mind.

I pray for an open mind so I may come to believe in a Power greater than myself. I pray for humility & the continued
opportunity to increase my faith. I don’t want to be crazy any more.

Third Step Prayer[s]:

God, I offer myself to Thee to build with me & to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy love & Thy way of life. May I do Thy will always!

The Third-Step Prayer, p.63, Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) This is a prayer many of us say daily to remind ourselves of the decision we made in the third step to turn our will and our lives over to the care of our higher power, and to seek our higher power’s will for us today.

Take my will & my life, Guide me in my recovery, Show me how to live.

Fourth Step Prayer[s]:

Dear God, It is I who has made my life a mess. I have done it, but I cannot undo it. My mistakes are mine & I will begin a searching & fearless moral inventory. I will write down my wrongs, but I will also include that which is good. I pray for the strength to complete the task.

Fifth Step Prayer[s]:

God, My inventory has shown me who I am, yet I ask for Your help in admitting my wrongs to another person & to You.
Assure me, & be with me, in this Step, for without this Step I cannot progress in my recovery. With Your help, I can do this & I will do it.

Sixth Step Prayer[s]:

Dear God, I am ready for Your help in removing from me the defects of character which I now realize are an obstacle to my recovery. Help me to continue being honest with myself & guide me toward spiritual & mental health.

Seventh Step Prayer[s]:

My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good & bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you & my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here to do Your bidding.

The Seventh-Step Prayer, p. 76, Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) This is a prayer we say to our higher power to surrender the old thoughts and behaviors that cause us problems so they can be replaced with better reactions to life’s ups and downs — identifying these problem areas and turning them over are the essence of the sixth and seventh step . It reminds us that our goal is not to be superior to others but to be of service to others.

Eighth Step Prayer[s]:

Higher Power, I ask Your help in making my list of all those I have harmed. I will take responsibility for my mistakes & be forgiving to others as You are forgiving to me. Grant me the willingness to begin my restitution. This I pray.

Ninth Step Prayer[s]:

Higher Power, I pray for the right attitude to make my amends, being ever mindful not to harm others in the process. I ask for Your guidance in making indirect amends. Most important, I will continue to make amends by staying abstinent, helping others & growing in spiritual progress.

Tenth Step Prayer[s]:

I pray I may continue: To grow in understanding & effectiveness; To take daily spot check inventories of myself; To correct mistakes when I make them; To take responsibility for my actions; To be ever aware of my negative & self-defeating attitudes & behaviors; To keep my willfulness in check; To always remember I need Your help; To keep love & tolerance of others as my code; & To continue in daily prayer how I can best serve You, My Higher Power.

Eleventh Step Prayer[s]:

Higher Power, as I understand You, I pray to keep my connection with You open & clear from the confusion of daily life. Through my prayers & meditation I ask especially for freedom from self-will, rationalization & wishful thinking. I pray for the guidance of correct thought & positive action. Your will, Higher Power, not mine, be done.

The Eleventh-Step Prayer, p. 99, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (Alcoholics Anonymous)

Twelfth Step Prayer[s]: 

Dear God, My spiritual awakening continues to unfold. The help I have received I shall pass on & give to others, both in & out of the Fellowship. For this opportunity I am grateful. I pray most humbly to continue walking day by day on the road of spiritual progress. I pray for the inner strength & wisdom to practice the principles of this way of life in all I do & say. I need You, my friends & the program every hour of every day. This is a better way to live.