Step Eight Willing To Make Amends

Making a list of persons we have harmed is intimidating but becoming willing to make amends to all of them seems like too much to ask of us. This step is challenging because we must look at the harm we have caused, and it generally involves family members and others who have been close to us.  Without God in our lives, we will struggle to be willing to complete this step, but with God all things are possible. 

Jesus taught the above principle long before the 12-Step program was founded.  He knew that to be completely free of our past we needed to make amends to those we had harmed.  When Jesus went to the house of Zacchaeus the tax collector, many people who had been harmed by Zacchaeus murmured against Jesus because they said He had gone to be the guest of a sinner.  Zacchaeus, however, became a changed man when He met Jesus and he volunteered to make amends to those he had harmed. 

There is no doubt that when we have given our will and life over to the care of God and accepted Jesus as our Saviour, all our sins are forgiven.  Now we have freedom from the control of the evil one.  As children of God, strengthened by the Power of the Holy Spirit, we need to humbly allow others to see how we regretfully view our past actions towards them and want to make amends. 

Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.  For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.  (Philippians 2:12b-13 NLT)

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, Please give me the desire and power to complete this Step and, according to Your Word, help me make peace with those I have harmed.  Amen

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