Active addiction has robbed us of many things. It has led us deep into sin. It has warped our personalities and tested our faith, if we had any. Now, we must rebuild.
To Everything There is a Season
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 KJV
Now is the time to renew our spirit for God’s purpose:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
2 Corinthians 5: 17-10 KJV
So, does being a “new creature” mean we no longer have any need to grow in Christ? Have we “arrived,” so to speak, and all the hard work is over? Of course not. Indeed, it means just the opposite. The new man (creature) is willing to do whatever is necessary for growth because Christ has “committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” Our work has just begun!
To reconcile ourselves to a situation is to accept it, even if it is unpleasant or painful, because it cannot be changed without significant effort on our part. Often, honestly working the 12 steps is both unpleasant and painful. Yet our situation as folks brand new to recovery is also hopeful because God will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Such a promise implies that we will do whatever we can do for ourselves. This means we must work for change. And the need for us to change cannot be denied if we are to grow in Christ. However, the blessings and rewards are great.
Make Your Calling Sure
“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1: 3-11 KJV
Knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, kindness, charity: what do these virtues remind you of? They sound a little bit like the fruits of the spirit don’t they: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Kindness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. Also quite similar are the spiritual principles which will be gained by working the 12 steps: Honesty, Hope, Faith, Courage, Integrity, Willingness, Humility, Love, Discipline, Patience, Awareness, and Service. Acquiring these virtues will also redound to our overall benefit:
“If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us —sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.”
The Promises from Chapter. 6, Page 83-84 of the book Alcoholics Anonymous
Now, one may be tempted to think, well, these steps look simple enough. They shouldn’t present a problem, and they do appear deceptively simple. They can be memorized without much trouble. Indeed, the main points can be “learned” in a few minutes. Unfortunately, an intellectual knowledge of the steps alone will not suffice. How many souls believe that learning and vocalizing the AA “lingo” in meetings makes them immune to relapse? Talking the talk only is a fool’s paradise. It will never bring about true recovery. A sponsor is sorely needed at this point.
Why? Well, for instance, if one was given a pilot’s manual for a Cessna 172 and a few days to learn it, would you ride with that person on his or her first solo flight with no previous live instruction? Probably not, insofar as reading about flying and actually piloting a plane are two entirely different things. The FAA requires many hours of instruction with a pilot who has many additional hours of flying time and experience training others before one can solo or ultimately earn a pilot’s license. So, it is with learning to live sober and clean, one day at a time.
Remember, simply reading through the steps, watching a video about them, sitting through a class, or engaging in general “steps” discussions does not mean we have worked them. Such efforts, although of some value, simply serve as an indication of the path which lays ahead. We should not fret over what appears to be impossible tasks. We are not ready for step nine, for instance, until we have worked step eight to the best of our ability; not ready for eight until we have carefully worked on seven; not ready for seven until six has been thoroughly addressed, and so forth. As any old timer will tell you, the steps are numbered for a reason. Therefore, although it may seem obvious, we MUST start with Step One, the only step which can be completed 100%. We can always improve on our work with steps two through twelve.
After working the steps for the first time—if we have been diligent—a dramatic transformation will gradually take place. It may seem like magic, and it may be. (Miracle may be a better term!) But it does work if we stick to it.
The Promises listed above do come true “if we work for them.” So, to gain virtue and have a true “spiritual awakening” requires months or possibly years of work with a knowledgeable sponsor who has at least three years sobriety, preferably five or more. Growth is an individual quantity, so there is no strict timetable for progress.
Go to some AA meetings. Get to know some of the folks there. Pick out an experienced AA member of the same sex and ask him or her if they will act as your temporary sponsor. If it’s not a good fit, that will soon become apparent, and they will help you find someone more appropriate. Be polite and patient. Remember, they are doing this for free and on their own time. They will not fool with you if you are abusive or unserious. As mentioned above, each of the 12 Steps contains a virtue which will be ingrained in the recovering individual after serious and concentrated work with a sponsor. So, good tidings on your new adventure!
“Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.”
A Vision for You, Chapter 11, page 164, from the book Alcoholics Anonymous
Our purpose at His Way is to reclaim, rebuild and restore. If you’d like to be a part of this mission, contact us today to learn how you can get involved.
Don Phillips is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with more than 27 years of experience in behavioral health and 35 years of personal recovery from chemical addiction. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in General Psychology from Athens State University and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Alabama A&M University. He is an Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC) and Internationally Certified AADC (ICAADC).