When we first come into recovery, we may not be aware of the importance of making a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves as Step 4 of the 12-Step program requires. Most of us are apt to think of the glaring things we did in our addiction but are reluctant to uncover those harmful events that contributed to us going down that road. The sickness of sin invaded our lives when we allowed those incidents that caused us pain to fester in our minds and hearts.
How can we live together whole and healed if we are unwilling to admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of what has caused humiliation or heartache in our past? We may try to behave as if healing has taken place, but our actions will betray us and convey to others that something is not right. Jesus once asked a man if he wanted to be healed and this may be something that we should ask ourselves.
Living with pain and unforgiveness and wanting revenge for something done to us does not open the door to healing. When all of us were still in our sin, Jesus died in our place so that we could be forgiven and restored to new life. Pride says, “Why should I forgive?” God says, “So I can forgive and heal you.” We want God and those we have harmed to forgive us so why not extend the same forgiveness to others so we can all be forgiven and healed for what we have done?
The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. If I had been cozy with evil, the Lord would never have listened. (James 4:16b; Psalm 66:18 MSG)
Prayer: Gracious God, Help me to forgive as I have been forgiven so that I can be set free from sin and restored to new life. Amen
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