OUR SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

When we say in Step 12 that we have had “a spiritual wakening,” we are describing the effect we experienced as we completed the first eleven steps.  The person we are today is vastly different from the broken person with an unmanageable life who came into recovery.  We have discovered that there is more to life than we thought and we are excited that there is still more to come.

The Lord’s teachings are perfect. They give strength to his people. The Lord’s rules can be trusted. They help even the foolish become wise. The Lord’s laws are right. They make people happy. The Lord’s commands are good. They show people the right way to live.  (Psalm 19:7-8 ERV)

We have discovered that a power greater than ourselves is alive within us and He has helped us admit to, and repent of, our past wrongdoing.  We could never have faced those things that were buried deep in our soul without knowing that our will and life was in the care of the God who had prepared a way for our forgiveness.  As we humbly asked God to remove all our shortcomings, we experienced peace in our mind and heart that went beyond anything we ever could have expected or imagined. 

As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Psalm 103:12; Romans 8:6 NJKV)

With our minds freed from the terror of our destructive past, we were able to look at our former relationships and consider those whom we had harmed.  Our loving God strengthened us to have the desire to make amends to those we had harmed and to seek their forgiveness. We will continue to experience God at work within us as we make a daily personal inventory, and through prayer and meditation seek the knowledge of God’s will for our lives, and ask Him for the power to carry it out.  As we stay close to God, He will encourage us to tell others of the experience, strength and hope we have found in Him – the God who effects change in the lives of all who will call on His name.  With God, we truly have had a spiritual awakening.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3) Amen