only needs 75 words!!

"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts."  Colossians 3:16

"Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."  Galatians 6:1-2

As we conclude examining the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, it is well to recall that these steps have held a central position in recovery circles and treatment arenas for almost 75 years. The steps are really Scriptural truths that promote kingdom living. Kingdom living is following God’s design for healthy relationships with God and others. This week will look at Steps 10, 11, and 12.

Step 10: “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it”(see I Cor 10:12 & Rom 12:3). To improve, one must continually strive for growth. Growth comes by honestly looking at where we are, what we have available to us, and what we must change. We then must put it into action. The more we work with the Holy Spirit to find out where we must change, the better we will be at it. God loves us and is never finished growing us.

Step 11: “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will, and the power to carry that out” (see Col 3:16). As we strive to live holy lives, we must seek after the One who is Holy. As we pray, He answers. As He answers, He shows us better ways to live and interact with others. In our life we need to seek God’s will for ourselves and not focus or get wrapped up in other people’s problems.

Step 12: “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and practice these principles in all our affairs” (see Gal 6:1-2). The healing and recovery God gives extends into all areas of a person’s life, not just his or her sobriety. As a person heals from substance abuse he or she must also explore different ways to share the healing power of God’s love with other hurting people.

• Consider these thoughts:
  • Continue to explore the depth of these truths for yourself and how they apply to your life this week as you meditate on His Scriptures.
  • As you leave this course continue to be mindful of how each of these steps and Scriptural principles are applied in your own life and in you being a reflection of Christ’s love, redemption, and healing.
  • Discuss how you can apply this devotional to the subject of substance use disorders.