PRAYING WITH STEP TWELVE OF AA

STEP TWELVE

Well, our little snapshot visits with the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous brings us to the final Step – Step 12 today.  We have only touched one small aspect of each step in this journey.  Maybe in a few little while we can return and take a fresh look at where we’re at with putting these spiritual principles into practice in our everyday lives. 

But we can begin to consider that today because Step Twelve says:  Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Certainly in areas where we are facing character defects and pain and disappointment, it will be a huge challenge to respond and behave in a new and better way.  No wonder we are informed that what we first need is a spiritual awakening.  What is the spiritual awakening we come to experience as we walk with God in recovery? 

Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.  1 John 2:6

Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.  John 5:19

God loves us.  God has always loved us.  God has a  beautiful life plan for us that He is willing to show us one step, one day at a time. We need God at work in us today to give us a spiritual awakening so we can begin to know the unfailing love of our Heavenly Father.  When we truly awaken to this reality everything changes. 

And so we each need to ask ourselves today, have I had that spiritual awakening? 

Heavenly Father, we know that only this spiritual awakening brings us to that place where we believe, and enter into, this wonderful, living and intimate relationship with You.  We know our relationship with You is the only foundation on which we can build a purposeful life.  This is the life experience we’ve always desired and want to experience more and more fully today and every day.  We know that this is what gives us rest, gives us comfort, gives us peace.

For those who have not yet had this spiritual awakening we pray, Loving God, that they will, even in this moment, open their hearts to You and give You control of their lives.  It’s never easy to lay down our self-will and admit that we need something different from what we’ve been living. 

But I pray today that Your Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of all those in need so they make that admission and fully surrender themselves to You.  We know God that You will meet them in that place and take them forward one step at a time to a life that is infinitely more enriching than what they have today.

And all of us, once again want to say, Thank you, thank you, thank you for this new life we have with You.  Amen