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September is National Recovery Month, most people when they think of Recovery they only think about drugs and alcohol but here are 10 other addictions 1) Food & Eating 2) Gambling 3) Codependency 4) Gambling 5) Sex 6) Love 7) Work 8) Spending 9) Religion 10) Internet & Social Media. There are many paths to Recovery and tools to help. The 12 Steps is a tool that can be used to recovery and by the time you get to the last step you will be sober and have better relationships with yourself, others and God. It all starts with the Step 1
STEP ONE, We admitted that we were powerless over our dependencies – that our lives had become unmanageable.
I know nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out (Romans 7:17)
Father In the Name of Jesus I ask for your help me with my recovery. I am lost and not sure of who I am and who I belong to. Deliver me from the denial that has kept me from seeing how powerless I am and how unmanageable my life has become. I cannot manage my life, teach me to trust you. The best thing I can do right now is to let go and let God, your will not mine, Amen
It seems like the FIRST STEP is always the hardest and that everything is trying to stop us, so that we won’t accept that we have a problem. STEP ONE is about admitting our brokenness. In the past, pride and ego work against us when we cry out for help. We have been taught to think and act like, “I can handle it.” STEP ONE brings us to the point where we must admit that we can’t handle it, we are not good or fine. It’s admitting that we are in trouble and that we need help. Powerlessness means that we don’t have the power to heal ourselves or fix our own problems. This step forces us to admit that we have done a very poor job in managing our own lives. It also points out that there is not much hope to expect things are going to get better if we continue to do things the same way. The end of our denial is the beginning of recovery.
We are now at the point where we admit that life is not working for us anymore. For some of us, our lives never did work the way we wanted it to. We must quit deceiving and lying to ourselves that things are OK when everything in our lives continues to crumble. Our distorted thinking causes us to rationalize life’s circumstances even when there is more than enough evidence that things are a mess. We are stubborn people and hold out to the bitter end. Most of us only admit to the reality of how bad things are when we hit bottom and have no choice. There are as many bottoms as there are addicts. While some can think and ask for help before they lose everything, others have to experience long periods of pain and suffering before they get to the point where they are willing to deal with their addiction.
Whatever it takes to come to an end and decide to change, is a good thing. A Biblical example of hitting bottom and admitting powerlessness is found in the story of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15:11-31. This is the story where the rebellious son demanded his share of the family money and he left home to be able to manage his own life and do whatever he wanted. The son moved to a city very far from his home and spent all his money on wild living. The son had an addictive personality and behaviors. After wasting all his money, he ended up broke and broken, working a job feeding pigs. After realizing that the pigs were better off than he was, he was so hungry, he started eating the pig’s food! Notice how his addictions caused a downward spiral of pain and suffering. While living in bondage to addiction and self-will, he was near death. “When he came to his senses, he said `How many of my father’s workers have plenty of food and here I am starving!” (Luke 15:17) He got up and returned to his father where he was loved, forgiven and restored.
STEP ONE can be summed up in a few words “I have a problem and I need help!” It is the beginning to working the other steps. Surrender is not an easy thing to do. It is not easy to let go and trust that things will work out. We will experience withdrawal: confusion, sadness, fear or other emotions. This is normal, it is important to remember that surrender is hard! It requires mental, emotional and spiritual work. Anytime is a good time to start your Recovery Journey, why not during National Recovery Month.
©Wanda Currie
Vision of Recovery believes in a non-denominational Christian perspective to Wellness. We integrate biblically based beliefs with counseling and coaching interventions to treat the whole person—emotionally, physically and spiritually