*Note: This writing has no affiliation towards any groups, public or otherwise. I do not wish to engage in any controversy, nor do I endorse nor oppose any causes.
Yesterday, I alluded to a spiritual system that fulfills the following criteria:
Allows for a subjective definition of God (as one understands Him).
Creates an objective framework for values and virtues.
In my life, I have only found this is one place - The Twelve Steps. I’m sure many of you are familiar with these, or at the very least know where they come from. For the purposes of this conversation, none of that is important. I simply want to highlight this spiritual system in its profundity (if you’re interested in its history, it’s a quick Google search away). I am hoping these steps can be of assistance in my journey to finding God, and maybe - just maybe - there are some similarities with the message of Jesus Christ.
I thought of an interesting way to to go about this segment. I’m going to list each step, followed by my personal thoughts and experiences associated with it. I will then include a relevant passage from the Bible that expounds further on the message. I’m not necessarily trying to prove anything by doing this, I just think it will be an interesting exercise for me. Without further ado, let’s begin…
1. We admitted we were powerless over (X) — that our lives had become unmanageable.
For the purposes of this article, let’s say (X) is any vice, addiction or problematic behavior that is causing serious damage in our lives. I think it’s worth noting that we’re beginning this entire process by not only admitting our own fault, but taking it one step further by saying there’s nothing in our power we can do about it. This is very problematic for many people. We all want to hold onto the illusion of power - however large or small that may be in our lives - and we want to believe that through willpower we can set ourselves on the proper course. After all, what are we without willpower? Who am I to tell you that you have no power? I’ve seen many people scoff at this notion, as if I'm making a personal attack on their character. There’s something about the word “power” that is inherently intertwined with our egos and our concepts of ourselves. What if I was to tell you that true freedom can be found at the relinquishing of this power? This may seem like a paradox, but let’s see what the Bible has to say on the subject:
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Notice the line “my power is made perfect in weakness”. Here we see the paradox front and center - perfect power through powerlessness.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Here we get another blow to the ego in admitting that there’s something - and it can be anything - that’s greater than ourselves. This is where more atheistically inclined folk start to get itchy because we’re inching towards the “G” word, but that’s actually not the case. A Power greater than ourselves only has to be just that, nothing more. I love the analogy of the wave. Go down to the ocean, stand on the shoreline, and try to stop a crashing wave. We all know that’s impossible, and there you have direct evidence of something greater. What about restore us to sanity, why add that? Only when we’ve admitted (grown into awareness) of our weaknesses are we able to overcome them (restore us to sanity).
1 Peter 5:6-7,10
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Here the Bible assumes the “Power greater than ourselves” as the Christian God, but we’ll elaborate on this in the next step.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
This is where the process takes a huge leap from traditional religion. It does not describe a specific image or style or voice of God. It does not tell you what God should look like in theory or in concept. It allows each person their own interpretation. As I mentioned yesterday, this is also where things can get tricky, but let’s keep pushing forward to see what we can uncover. Does the Bible allude to anything that even remotely resembles such a concept?
I found something that’s rather interesting. Many times throughout the Bible Jesus makes “I AM” statements (most often in The Gospel of John). In these statements he is assuming himself the Son of God, therefore God Himself. Let’s take a look at all the different imagery he uses:
John 6:35
I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
John 8:12
I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
John 10:9
I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
John 10:11
I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 11:25
I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
John 14:6
I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.
John 15:5
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
Notice how he uses all these different ways to describe himself as God. Some are tangible objects like bread, a door and a vine. Others are more conceptual like “the resurrection” or “the way”. It seems that even Jesus kept the door open for multiple interpretations of what this Higher Power could be, and perhaps he used these different analogies to reach different people with different conceptions of God and reality.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Now that we’ve set up the framework, it’s time for action. Notice how we begin with what may seem like a daunting task. Who would willingly want to look at all of the horrible things they’ve done in their life? Isn’t it easier to just let the past be the past and move on? Unfortunately, that’s not quite how it works. This step charges head first at the skeletons in our closets. Why, you ask? Without bringing them into the light, our shadows dominate us in ways we are not fully conscious of. Anyone who has been to therapy should be familiar with this concept.
1 John 1:8-9
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Notice that first line - “we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”. I think that fits in quite well with our modern interpretation of the shadow and subconscious. Notice, too, this idea that by the very process of admitting our “sins” we are as a result looking for rectification (otherwise there would be no point in confessing, right?). Here we have the natural progression to the next step.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
The process continues to unfold through action, this time with the help of another person. Not only do we “confess our sins” to God as the Bible so often reiterates, but we also admit them to ourselves and to another human being. We can’t admit anything to anyone without first admitting it to ourself, but why the addition another person? Believe it or not the Bible actual does have something to say about that:
James 5:15-16
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Here in James we see the admission of sins from all three angles. It starts with an admission to God, which by definition includes an admission to oneself. Then it moves towards an admission “to each other”. This step and verse speak to the power of the spoken word - by speaking it into existence, we give it life. By giving it life, we open ourselves to healing and forgiveness.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
This step works off of the second and fifth steps. We’ve just named (and spoken) all of our defective qualities and traits, and once again we are admitting that only a Power greater than ourselves can remove them. “Were entirely ready” is an important part of this step - it’s not as easy as you’d think to be “entirely ready”. Sure, we can want things, we can want to remove our worst qualities, but so often there are parts of ourselves that still cling to them - for comfort, for familiarity, even for safety. To be “entirely ready” admits a rather seismic shift, making this a step simple in theory but quite difficult in practice.
Colossians 3:5-10
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Here we get to the part of the Bible that so many of us despise (including myself at one time). It’s that “don’t tell me how to live my life” ethos, drenched in shame and guilt. I offer you to interpret this passage instead through the lens of the sixth step. All of these things - the deadly sins and their offspring - hurt us at the end of the day, often in ways we don’t fully see or understand. This isn’t about guilt. It’s about freedom.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Like the fifth step, we now take action on the previous step. Once we’ve become ready to have our Higher Power remove our shortcomings, we act. We once again find ourselves in conversation with this greater power, and humble ourselves before it. At the end of the day, that’s what all this is - humility. Just think about how much of our ego has been stripped away throughout this process already - and we’re barely halfway through.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
This verse elaborates more on the subject. We act, we ask, and here we see there is “a way of escape”. This is not the guilt-ridden warning that we see elsewhere in the Bible, but the promise of freedom and the reassurance that is indeed possible.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Now we shift gears yet again. We’ve spent the last few steps identifying and focusing on our faults, and now it’s time to look very closely at the wrongs we’ve done to others. Like step four, this is an uncomfortable part of the process, but like step four, it is absolutely necessary. In the same way we addressed our resentments we must address our wrongdoings - otherwise they will continue to live on in the shadows via our unconscious behavior. Admittedly, I didn’t realize how plainly the Bible spoke about this topic:
Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Notice the sequence of events here. Before any offerings, even to God, one must reconcile with their brothers and sisters. This highlights just how important the act of reconciliation is considered according to Christ.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Like steps five and seven before it, step nine once again finds us once again taking action. It makes it clear that these are direct amends, person-to-person, unless harm would come from such an encounter. This can be extremely uncomfortable, but as I’ve discussed in earlier writings, the path of spirituality is not one of comfort. In this step it’s time to let go of all the fear and egotism that make us want to hide away from our faults. I’m going to stretch a bit for this one, but I think it’s appropriate:
2 John 1:12
I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
The key here is the final phrase - “so that our joy may be complete”. Granted, this is not an amends letter as John is writing to the “chosen lady,” whom he regards fondly, but the message remains. Notice how he communicates this idea that meeting in person is more meaningful than writing letters. It’s this same idea we find at the core of step nine.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Now that we’ve completed steps four through nine, step ten acts as a daily reminder to continue the process. We’re all human and we all will continue to make mistakes, and with that in mind we realize that we can’t just do the inventory and amends process once and call it a day. It must become an active part of our lives, and notice the word “promptly”. Now that we’ve done the brunt of the work, we’re no longer in the business of letting things fester. We’re going to continue to fail, but we’re not going to let that drag us backwards. We’ll again turn to Matthew 5, which addresses this in an interesting way:
Matthew 5:25
Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
This verse from Matthew says exactly this. “Settle matters quickly” is just another way of saying “promptly”. Here we see this expounded upon, with the assumption that misfortune (being thrown into prison) can occur if we delay.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Steps ten through twelve are considered the daily, active part of the steps, and here we see that action in step eleven. The key here is “improving our conscious contact”. Notice is says nothing about strict requirements, laws or anything we “have” to do. It instead suggests a simple, constant and gradual process. There are no gold stars handed out for performance, just as there are no specific instructions on how exactly to pray or meditate. It is up to us to determine exactly what that looks like. I like what Romans has to say about this topic:
Romans 8:26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
Here Paul doesn’t tell us exactly what to say, he instead suggests that no matter which way you slice it, our words don’t really suffice. What he does confirm, however, is the Holy Spirit (a.k.a. feeling/emotion) guides us in this process. At its core, that’s what step eleven is about - an honest attempt with honest intention.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to (X), and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
The final step is akin to one of the greatest concepts man has ever conceived: pay it forward. It is also another one of those great paradoxes - in order to keep it, we must give it away. Whatever it is that you struggle with makes you uniquely qualified to help someone who is struggling with that same thing. It puts you on the same footing, the same level, and it becomes your responsibility to share the same gift that was so freely given to you. The Bible certainly speaks to this:
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Acts 20:35
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
…and there you have it. The Twelve Steps in all their glory, with a little Biblical twist for fun. I have personally seen lives completely transformed from following these simple steps, and it has been an absolute pleasure sharing them with you. What’s so interesting about this exercise is the possibility that this system can be applied across multiple faiths, mythologies and belief systems. It simply takes the best of the best that we’ve come up with as an intelligent, emotive species. At least I think so, and that’s good enough for today.
There’s only one way to end this, and that’s with the Serenity Prayer:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Yes yes and more yes. OK I’m gonna try really hard to remember everything that I wanted to say. First of all in the previous entry about the answers being in Christ himself - YES. This is what I want to know more about.
I continue to be reminded of my reluctancy to explore the Bible or church and even exploring people in recovery because of the filter that the message of God is coming through. People have a valuable perspective to share, i have no doubt about that, yet I am very protective of what I allow into this spongy little brain of mine. So I enter most learning journeys w a pretty big shield around me. Armour of God I like to think- even if I don't know what that means yet. I know what it means today. He knows my heart and He guides my path so if I'm a little skeptical, it's for good reason. That God given intuition baby. The connections made w the Bible here are awesome and I thank you for taking the time to Izerheimer and share it w us here. Listening to a song this morning, it sung "its like your grace is on a mission to tear down my religion.. and that's all I really need"
How special
It ISNT ABOUT GUILT- ITS ABOUT FREEDOM!! Structure & discipline = freedom.
5/100 🎯