Twelve Steps Step Eight Acknowledging Broken Relationships (2)
Monday December 5, 2016
God’s heart is for us to enjoy loving and caring relationships with others. We have much to learn in this area. The purpose of Step Eight is to help us carefully examine our way of relating to others and get to know what feeds our addictive behaviour.
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. (Matthew 5:23-24 NIV)
The work of Step Eight is writing down the name of each person with whom we have had a painful relationship and seeking to know and own our part in whatever happened. To become truly willing to make amends for harm we’ve caused in the relationship, we must look for God in the middle of each circumstance or memory. We must connect with this God who knows, who cares, who heals, and who can even make something good out of the hurtful events of our past. We must receive love and comfort and healing from God or we’ll never feel secure enough to forgive others or ourselves for failure to act in a loving way.
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? (1 John 4:7-8, 20 NLT)
Loving God, we humbly acknowledge our inability to give and receive love. We believe you care for us and have pursued us with Your unconditional love. Show us the changes we need to make in order that we may become willing to make amends. As we go forward, help us to build our relationships on the firm foundation of love.
©2016 Partners in Hope
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