Faith-Empowered Bible Verses That Can Help Support Recovery and Life Transformation
Step 10: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
James 1:21-24 – Keep Ridding Yourself of Filthiness. That is Living Biblical Twelve-Step Recovery.
21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his [c]natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
The early part of this verse speaks of cleaning our lives of filthiness and wickedness in humility. If you have been reading all the articles on the steps on this site, it is clear by now that this is precisely what we have been doing.
The latter parts of this passage speak of proving ourselves “doers of the word,” which is more focused on taking future action.
What do I have to do after making a list of what is wrong with me, struggling with God at the wheel to repair the damage created by those things, then I went and repaired those damages.
If I just stopped here, I can quickly create plenty for an entirely new amends list within minutes. The problem is bigger than the items on my list and those dates. Times and people. The problem is the habit I have of doing those things. I have illuminated those habits and taken extreme measures to repair those things, but I am still perfectly capable of creating as much destruction as I had previously.
If something is not dramatically changed, I am, and I will be the same.
It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of out spiritual condition. Every Day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities. “How can I best serve Thee – Thy will (not mine) be Done” These are the thoughts that must go with us constantly.
Alcoholics Anonymous pg. 85
First, this is a spiritual program of action. This is a program that starts and is sustained by our faith, but a faith expressed in actions. Then it is easy to stop this “spiritual program of action” and do nothing, which is apparently horrible.
If something is not dramatically changed, I am, and I will be the same.
No beating around the bush here; they say if we stop the “spiritual program of action,” we will relapse. Then comes the reality that this is an ongoing struggle we will have forever. That is why we need to change our entire lifestyle and not just what we have done in the past.
Then comes the war against selfishness and self-centeredness we started focusing on when we got to page 62 of the Alcoholics Anonymous book.
1 John 2:3-6 – Now That You Know God, Consistently Do What He Wants You To Do
3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever follows His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, walk just as He walked.
This is a pretty strong accusation coming from the Bible. If we do not keep going on this journey of living what God wants us each to do, we are liars.
We have looked extensively at how these steps tie to God’s desires for how we each live our lives and have acted on those revelations. We even vowed to God in Step Seven to keep living this lifestyle. The lifestyle our creator and creator of the world says is how we were created to function at the optimum levels for humankind.
If we do not keep going on this journey of living what God wants us each to do, we are liars.
If we work to live by the lifestyle he has outlined for us, our “love of God” is somehow perfected.
This thought brings us to Step Ten, which suggests we continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along. We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past. We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for a lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. Where these crop up we ask God at once t remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance is our code.
Alcoholics Anonymous pg. 84
What is this “way of living” once “we have entered the world of the Spirit?”
- Continue to take personal inventory (watching for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear)
- Continue to repair new mistakes as we go along.
- When they are noticed, ask God at once to remove them.
- Discuss them with someone immediately.
- Make amends quickly.
- Work to grow in understanding and effectiveness.
- Keep our thoughts on who can help, especially when struggling.
Based on what we have done so far, this is the basis of our recovery walk.
1 Peter 1:13-16 – Recovery: Keep Sober in the Spirit and Avoid Your Former Lusts
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Once again, “sober” here may not refer directly to the sobriety we seek. Still, it does imply an element of clear thinking, processing, and clear judgment, which is the opposite of us in our addiction(s).
We have begun to sense the flow of His Spirit into us.
But the “holy” we are told to live here is a lifestyle of obedience to what God has told us we should live like as opposed to the “lusts” we were drawn to in our “ignorance.”
But the grace is forgiveness and power from God that will drive all of this.
Much has already been said about receiving strength, inspiration, and direction from Him who has all knowledge and power. If we have carefully followed directions, we have begun to sense the flow of His Spirit into us. To some extent we have become God-conscious. We have begun to develop this vital sixth sense. But we must go further and that means more action.
Alcoholics Anonymous pg. 85
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