Step Eight – Week Four
Peace in our lives is also a product of our obedience to God.
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Recovery is about learning to Live Life
Living Life Recovery is a safe place where people can come and investigate the reality of God’s promises for their life, at there own pace.
Category: Step 8
Step Eight ~ Week Three
As part of the process of change, I will identify and record everyone I have harmed and through prayer become willing to make restitution to them
My name is Archie, and I am a recovered alcoholic. Recovered through the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit moving in and through my life on a daily basis.
Acts 3:19-26 “Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus. For the time being, he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be. Moses, for instance, said, ‘Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you. Every last living soul who refuses to listen to that prophet will be wiped out from the people.’ “All the prophets from Samuel on down said the same thing, said most emphatically that these days would come. These prophets, along with the covenant God made with your ancestors, are your family tree. God’s covenant word to Abraham provides the text: ‘By your offspring, all the families of the earth will be blessed.’ But you are first in line: God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless you as you turn, one by one, from your evil ways.”
Today’s reading is taken from the message. Over the years I have been involved in churches I have had people telling me “the message is not a version of the Bible.” So before I share what God has given me to share tonight I want to say “without the message I would not be here!” When I first came to a decision in my life in 1989 if I wanted to get serious about changing my life I had to get to know – about God and His way of living. At that time, I was given a copy of the message New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs and they became my lifeline. At the time I read a Proverb a day and a chapter of the New Testament. And it changed my life.
It says in the Bible in Romans 12:2 Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. For me that verse was life-changing. All I ever wanted in my life was to fit in. I never felt like I did and if I am honest a lot of the time now, I still feel like that.
Tonight, I want to begin by sharing the preamble of Living Life Recovery, given to me in 2005 when God challenged me about what I was doing with people with addictions and how was I going to get involved?
The Preamble
Living Life Recovery is a safe place where people can come, share, and investigate the realities of God’s promises for themselves.
We believe that as we investigate God’s promises for our lives and practice the ‘Spiritual Principles of Recovery’ as outlined in ‘God’s Word we will find the strength and freedom we need to live productive and peaceful lives.
We welcome anyone who has a sincere desire to change their lives. To rise above the pain and turmoil caused by dependencies and compulsive behaviours their own lives or the lives of a loved one or friend.
We are here to worship God and to share our experience, strength, and hope with each other. The support of other members, daily prayer, and reading of ‘The Bible’ prepares us to experience total serenity in Christ no matter what our outward circumstances may be.
Attendance at 12 Step groups and establishing an accountability relationship with a trusted more experienced member is strongly encouraged.
We are dedicated to the principles of anonymity and confidentiality. Nothing shared in our ‘Group Discussions’ will leave the group in any form.
Gossip and bad language have no place in a ‘Christian Recovery Ministry’ and will not be tolerated
I have been running my website http://LivingLifeRecovery.com since 2008 with a view to reaching people with addictions and sharing my faith with them in hope that they might get a glimpse of what God has in store for them and want to pursue it. The website I try to keep it twelve steps centred as I believe strongly that the steps are a great tool that God wants to use to influence the lives of people with addictions. I also believe that if the entire church would learn and adapt the twelve steps to their daily living the people in them would live a better version of what the Bible is talking about than they do now. Another reason I like the message is that I have found through my own experience of reading and studying it the language used is easy to understand and it speaks more in day-to-day vocabulary than some of the other versions.
I have been tempted over the years to move away from the message because I don’t feel people in churches take you seriously in your faith when you are not using a Bible they approve of.
Anyway back to today’s scripture.
In Acts Chapters 2 and 3 in his speeches, I think Peter gives us good examples of adapting God’s message to your audience. On speaking to the Jews gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost he relied heavily on quotes from the Old Testament. If you read those two chapters, you will realize that his words were so effective 3,000 people were converted.
That in itself made me think “how can I best use my own experience, strength, and hope to reach the people God places in my sphere of influence?” I am not a preacher, I am not a teacher, nor am I particularly gifted in sharing the Bible with other people. What I do have I believe is the experience of walking daily with the Holy Spirit and via Him learning to trust and obey God in my life. When I first started blogging my wife asked me the question “What are you going to talk about, that people want to listen to.” A few years ago, she said to me “you better right some of this stuff down, so it is not lost.”
The difference in my life and in my recovery is my daily walk with the Holy Spirit. This week I wanted to talk about something totally different that than I am. But the Holy Spirit prompted me to speak about this. So here goes: What I would like to do is take these verses, break them down and expand on what the Holy Spirit and I discussed as I lay awake in bed on Wednesday night.
Acts 3:19-20 say “Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus.
IT IS NOW TIME TO REPENT
Acts 2:38 Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Repentance is necessary for relationship with God.
- Repentance is our only hope of receiving God’s mercy.
- Repentance open the way to a new life with God.
- Repentance allows us to receive God’s forgiveness.
IT IS TIME TO FACE UP TO WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US
Hebrews 9:28 Christ’s death was …. a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation.
- Salvation means we are forgiven by grace through faith.
- Salvation means our guilt is gone – the slate is clear.
- Jesus promised that if we believe in Him, we will receive salvation.
IT IS TIME TO RECEIVE JESUS AS OUR ONE TRUE HIGHER POWER
- Jesus is all powerful.
- Jesus gives life.
- Jesus is the Highest Authority.
Acts 3:21-22 For the time being he [Jesus} must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be. Moses, for instance, said, ‘Your God will raise up for you a prophet just like me from your family. Listen to every word he speaks to you.
The Way of God
- God guides us.
- God works everything in our lives out for His plan.
- God directs every event in our lives.
IT IS TIME TO LISTEN TO GOD
- Listening to God helps us to grow and mature spiritually.
- Listening to God keeps us on the right track.
- Listening to God helps us to make the right decisions for our lives.
Acts 3:24-26 “All the prophets from Samuel on down said the same thing, said most emphatically that these days would come. These prophets, along with the covenant God made with your ancestors, are your family tree. God’s covenant word to Abraham provides the text: ‘By your offspring, all the families of the earth will be blessed.’ But you are first in line: God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless you as you turn, one by one, from your evil ways.”
- There is no such thing as coincidences.
- We are all part of the family of God.
- It begins with me.
- Blessings from God come with changed life.
Step eight is about relationships. It is about establishing and maintaining a friendship with God, through the Holy Spirit.
- True friendships are bonded in loyalty and commitment.
Proverbs 17:17 Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble. - Friendships are destroyed when boundaries are violated.
- Everybody wants friends, but we are not all willing to invest in relationships.
- Everyone goes through times when relationships are strained. Examine the cause of the strains.
- God is your constant friend. He will never leave you and as a bonus He will help you to do whatever it is you need to do to complete the eighth step.
Step Eight ~ Week Two
AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF CHANGE, I WILL IDENTIFY AND RECORD EVERYONE I HAVE HARMED AND THROUGH PRAYER BECOME WILLING TO MAKE RESTITUTION TO THEM
As I read and re-read step eight through the last week the words THROUGH PRAYER I BECAME WILLING continually caught my attention and I found myself asking myself the questions: When in recovery did, I become willing? and was it through prayer? Now don’t get me wrong prayer is an important part of my life and it has played a significant part in the recovery process in my life. But did it make me willing to make a list of the people I have harmed and to go and make restitution to them?
I’m not sure! Because looking over the Twelve Steps both of Alcoholics Anonymous and of Living Life Recovery I think the willingness to do things God’s way happened long before I got to Step eight.
In step one I became willing to admit my life was a mess. My attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors were out of control, and left to my own devices were never going to be anything different. In step to I did not come to believe God existed or He could help me recover. I have always for as long as I can remember, even as a small child believed that God existed and was all-powerful. So why would He not be able to help me overcome my addictions and compulsions if I was willing to let Him? Which brought me to Step three willingness to let Him help me overcome my addictions and compulsions. I knew to do that I had to get to know more about Him and His ways of living as opposed to the way I had been living. To do that I had to get into a personal relationship with Him through meeting with, listening to, and obeying His appointed representative here on earth, The Holy Spirit. Step four required me to become willing to take an honest look at myself, warts, and all. And step five required me to become willing to share it with another human being. Steps six and seven were about me understanding to change the things that were wrong in my character I had to, through humility become willing to allow the Holy Spirit access to every area of my life in order for me to clean up my past in order to get on with the future.
Now here I was at the eighth step. Where I had given God permission, willingly to grant the Holy Spirit access to every area of my life and character. Where He would quickly discover what God already knew. Some of the relationships in my life were not as they should be and a lot of that was my fault, so I needed to become willing to do something about them. Which required a lot of prayers! Because saying sorry and making the right mistakes I had made was not a big part of my makeup, growing up.
Now I don’t know about you but when I know what is required in my life and because I have willingly made a decision to give God access to my life and my character, I generally begin by looking at What the Bible Says. I have read most of the A.A. literature on what that says I should do when it comes to the Twelve Steps. I have been involved in numerous Bible-based Twelve Steps fellowships and completed most of their literature, so I know what they suggest I should do. So for me that only leaves me one avenue – the Bible, prayer, and meditation.
I began praying and moved on to willingly investigate what the Bible said about WILLINGNESS. Now I searched numerous Bible versions on the exact phrase ’become willing’ and couldn’t find any. If you do feel free to let me know what they are. For the word willingness, I came up with the following: (I came up with many more but too many to share)
Matthew 26:41 “Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. Your spirit wants to do what is right, but your body is weak.”
Proverbs 19:2 Willingness and stupidity don’t go well together. If you are too eager, you will miss the road.
We need to be careful on the road to recovery that we don’t allow our enthusiasm to lead us to make stupid decisions and taking stupid actions that will stunt, instead of growing our faith.
2 Corinthians 8:11 Finish what you began to do. Then your willingness will be matched by what you accomplish.
The process of recovery requires that we ‘Start out as we mean to finish.’ It is about growth, not perfection. None of us arrived where we are overnight, and we are not going to change our character overnight. There will be relapses in our attitudes and behaviors.
Galatians 5:22 What happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments.
We develop willingness. Again, willingness is a process as I have shown it started in Step One and comes as part of our spiritual growth as we learn and apply the Twelve Steps of recovery to our lives.
I then went on to look up the Bible said about the word WILLING some of the verses I want to share with you:
Philippians 2:13 God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey him.
Obedience to God is not automatic. From my own experience, I can tell you for me it was a learned thing. Our sinful nature reaction to any change in our lives is rebellion. But God loves us and is willing to persevere with us until we can recognize His will in our lives and can give up our own selfish desires to follow where He leads us.2 Timothy 2:10 I am willing to put up with anything. Then God’s special people will be saved. They will be given eternal glory because they belong to Christ Jesus.
I love this verse. A warning that things may be about to get worse before they get better. The purpose of recovery is SERVICE. To learn what Jesus is talking about when He tells us to love others and put their needs before our series.
2 Timothy 4:5 You must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard to tell the good news and to do your job well.
GOOD NEWS is for sharing. Part of our willingness in recovery needs to become our willingness to share our experience, strength, and hope with others on the road to recovery so they too can come to know the love that God has for them and the debt He paid so we can live the lives He has prepared for us.
Hebrews 6:3 Let’s grow up if God is willing.
None of this is our doing. Our spiritual growth is in God’s will and purpose for our lives. A key to spiritual growth is MATURITY. Which takes time.
Here are some other verses related to WILLINGNESS in the Bible. Take time this week to look them up for yourself and investigate what the Holy Spirit is saying to you about Becoming Willing. REMEMBER to start with the Bible, prayer, and meditation.
John 12:25 Whoever loves the life they have now will lose it. But whoever is willing to give up their life in this world will keep it. They will have eternal life.
Romans 14:1 Be willing to accept those who still have doubts about what believers can do. And don’t argue with them about their different ideas.
Hebrews 6:11 We want each of you to be willing and eager to show your love like that the rest of your life. Then you will be sure to get what you hope for.
1 Peter 4:8 Most important of all, love each other deeply because love makes you willing to forgive many sins.
AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF CHANGE, I WILL IDENTIFY AND RECORD EVERYONE I HAVE HARMED AND THROUGH PRAYER BECOME WILLING TO MAKE RESTITUTION TO THEM
As I read and re-read step eight through the last week the words THROUGH PRAYER I BECAME WILLING continually caught my attention and I found myself asking myself the questions: When in recovery did, I become willing? and was it through prayer? Now don’t get me wrong prayer is an important part of my life and it has played a significant part in the recovery process in my life. But did it make me willing to make a list of the people I have harmed and to go and make restitution to them?
I’m not sure! Because looking over the Twelve Steps both of Alcoholics Anonymous and of Living Life Recovery I think willingness to do things God’s way happened long before I got to Step eight.
In step one I became willing to admit my life was a mess. My attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors were out of control, and left to my own devices were never going to be anything different. In step to I did not come to believe God existed or He could help me recover. I have always for as long as I can remember, even as a small child believed that God existed and was all-powerful. So why would He not be able to help me overcome my addictions and compulsions if I was willing to let Him? Which brought me to Step three willingness to let Him help me overcome my addictions and compulsions. I knew to do that I had to get to know more about Him and His ways of living as opposed to the way I had been living. To do that I had to get into a personal relationship with Him through meeting with, listening to, and obeying His appointed representative here on earth, The Holy Spirit. Step four required me to become willing to take an honest look at myself, warts, and all. And step five required me to become willing to share it with another human being. Steps six and seven were about me understanding to change the things that were wrong in my character I had to, through humility become willing to allow the Holy Spirit access to every area of my life in order for me to clean up my past in order to get on with the future.
Now here I was at the eighth step. Where I had given God permission, willingly to grant the Holy Spirit access to every area of my life and character. Where He would quickly discover what God already knew. Some of the relationships in my life were not as they should be and a lot of that was my fault, so I needed to become willing to do something about them. Which required a lot of prayers! Because saying sorry and making the right mistakes I had made was not a big part of my makeup, growing up.
Now I don’t know about you but when I know what is required in my life and because I have willingly made a decision to give God access to my life and my character, I generally begin by looking at What the Bible Says. I have read most of the A.A. literature on what that says I should do when it comes to the Twelve Steps. I have been involved in numerous Bible-based Twelve Steps fellowships and completed most of their literature, so I know what they suggest I should do. So for me that only leaves me one avenue – the Bible, prayer, and meditation.
I began praying and moved on to willingly investigate what the Bible said about WILLINGNESS. Now I searched numerous Bible versions on the exact phrase ’become willing’ and couldn’t find any. If you do feel free to let me know what they are. For the word willingness, I came up with the following: (I came up with many more but too many to share)
- Proverbs 19:2 Willingness and stupidity don’t go well together. If you are too eager, you will miss the road.
We need to be careful on the road to recovery that we don’t allow our enthusiasm to lead us to making stupid decisions and taking stupid actions that will stunt instead of growing our faith.
- 2 Corinthians 8:11 Finish what you began to do. Then your willingness will be matched by what you accomplish.
The process of recovery requires that we ‘Start out as we mean to finish.’ It is about growth, not perfection. None of us arrived where we are overnight, and we are not going to change our character overnight. There will be relapses in our attitudes and behaviours. - Galatians 5:22 What happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments.
We develop willingness. Again, willingness is a process as I have shown it started in Step One and comes as part of our spiritual growth as we learn and apply the Twelve Steps of recovery to our lives.
I then went on to look up the Bible said about the word WILLING some of the verses I want to share with you:
- Philippians 2:13 God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey him.
Obedience to God’s is not automatic. From my own experience I can tell you for me it was a learned thing. Our sinful nature reaction to any change in our lives is rebellion. But God loves us and is willing to persevere with us until we can recognise His will in our lives and can give up our own selfish desires to follow where He leads us.
- 2 Timothy 2:10 I am willing to put up with anything. Then God’s special people will be saved. They will be given eternal glory because they belong to Christ Jesus.
I love this verse. A warning that things may be about to get worse before they get better. The purpose of recovery is SERVICE. To learn what Jesus is talking about when He tells us to love others and put their needs before our series.
- 2 Timothy 4:5 You must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard to tell the good news and to do your job well.
GOOD NEWS is for sharing. Part of our willingness in recovery needs to become our willingness to share our experience, strength and hope with others on the road to recovery so they too can come to know the love that God has for them and the debt He paid so we can live the lives He has prepared for us.
- Hebrews 6:3 Let’s grow up, if God is willing.
None of this is our doing. Our spiritual growth is in God’s will and purpose for our lives. A key to spiritual growth is MATURITY. Which takes time.
Here are some other verses related to WILLINGNESS in the Bible. Take time this week to look them up for yourself and investigate what the Holy Spirit is saying to you about Becoming Willing. REMEMBER to start with the Bible, prayer and meditation.
John 12:25 Whoever loves the life they have now will lose it. But whoever is willing to give up their life in this world will keep it. They will have eternal life.
Romans 14:1 Be willing to accept those who still have doubts about what believers can do. And don’t argue with them about their different ideas.
Hebrews 6:11 We want each of you to be willing and eager to show your love like that the rest of your life. Then you will be sure to get what you hope for.
1 Peter 4:8 Most important of all, love each other deeply because love makes you willing to forgive many sins.
- God’s plan for you is always good.
- God’s plan you is a journey, not a destination.
- Seeking God’s plan for your life needs to become an active part of your life.
Proverbs 3:6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Monkey Business
Psalms 139:1-3 You have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF CHANGE, I WILL IDENTIFY AND RECORD EVERYONE I HAVE HARMED AND THROUGH PRAYER BECOME WILLING TO MAKE RESTITUTION TO THEM
In a small country town, the zoo was quite an attraction. The monkey took ill, so someone was required to dress up in a gorilla outfit, enter the cage and act like the zoo monkey. A man who was unemployed accepted the job. Children continued to come and feed bananas to him, and he was happy to put on a show for them. It was all going well until climbing high he slipped, lost his balance, and fell into the adjacent lion’s cage. As he screamed the lion came over and said “if you don’t keep quiet we will both lose our jobs!”
In the crisis, he was exposed for what he really was. Which so often happens. The real person manifested in times of critical pressure and urgency.
We are all totally exposed to God. The Psalmist reminds us that each of us is fully known, in all we do, all we think, and all we say. It has not been easy for many of us to live with this. “You know me.” can be frightening. Ever since Adam and Eve attempted to hide from God, people have tried to camouflage themselves and cover up their sins.
When we are in touch with the world in which we live we hear stores of people being found out. Numbers 32:23 says “If you don’t do what you say, you will be sinning against God; and, you can be sure that your sin will track you down.” Willingness to let God change us and to make restitution for our past sins and failings is an important step on the road to salvation.
Remember: not everybody is in recovery.
AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF CHANGE, I WILL IDENTIFY AND RECORD EVERYONE I HAVE HARMED AND THROUGH PRAYER BECOME WILLING TO MAKE RESTITUTION TO THEM
Matthew 6:14 “Forgive people when they sin against you. If you do, your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you.
One of the problems with the process of recovery is – not everyone is in recovery, even though we all need it. We need to remember this fact when it comes to making our list. The purpose of recovery is to help us live better lives through personal change with God’s help. It is not to make others love us or accept us more and it is not for others to change because we have.
The fact is as we grow spiritually and change our habits and attitudes we may still come across people who will treat us badly. In those instances, we need to stop, say a prayer, and leave them in God’s hands.
- Are you ready to let God deal with the people you can’t deal with?
Prayer: Lord help me today to accept that recovery is about You helping me to change myself not others.
Are You Willing to Forgive?
STEP EIGHT As part of the process of change, I will identify and record everyone I have harmed and through prayer become willing to make restitution to them.
Welcome to Living Life Recovery. Now being the eighth month of 2021 we continue looking at some of the issues surrounding this step and some of the solutions I have found through my own experience of recovery.
Matthew 5:44 says “Here is what I tell you. Love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you.“
Forgiving others isn’t always easy. Often the pain is still real and raw. But forgiving is necessary to moving on in the process of recovery. The degree we are willing to forgive those who have hurt us is an indication of how much we have grown spiritually.
I grew up with an aggressive and abusive stepfather. My resentment towards him was far greater than any other resentment I carried in my heart. He is the only person I ever really hated.
When I entered recovery He was the hardest person for me to forgive. So much so that a couple of times my resentment for him threatened to bring me unstuck. Through prayer, meditation, residing in the presence of God, and understanding of my step-father’s faults I forgave him – but it wasn’t easy.
PRAYING FOR THE STRENGTH TO FORGIVE OTHERS IN THE PROCESS OF RECOVERY IS ESSENTIAL
“In prayer, there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.” Matthew 6:14-15
- When we refuse to forgive others why do we feel we have a right to grumble when God chooses not to forgive us?
WE NEED TO MAKE ALLOWANCES AND UNDERSTAND WHERE OTHERS ARE COMING FROM
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13
- Where were you when God brought you into recovery?
- Why didn’t He leave you there?
GOD WANTS TO TO FORGIVE OUR SINS – BUT WE NEED TO BE HONEST WITH HIM AND WITH OTHERS
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:8-9
- Are you carrying resentment that will lead to relapse?
Friend of God
Proverbs 18:24 Even a man who has many companions can be destroyed. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
I am a friend of God: It is unlike any other friendship I have ever been in. I trust Him completely and I know no matter what happens in my life, even when I get it wrong He will not let me down, criticize me or hurt me, Because He loves me, unconditionally.
Friendship involves loyalty. For many of us, we haven’t received a lot of that in the circles we have mixed in
pre-recovery. But as Bob Dylan says “The times they are a-changing.”
He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother and I am glad He calls me His friend.
- Are you a friend of God’s?
- How often do you get together?
Prayer: God help me to understand the value of friendship with You and help me to stay loyal to it.
Step Eight ~ Week One
Reconciliation is a part of the RESTITUTION process.
As part of the process of change, I will identify and record everyone I have harmed and through prayer become willing to make restitution to them.
Proverbs 14:9 Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.
Once upon a time, we made fun of repairing relationships that have long been damaged. Recovery is a time for each of us to do all we can to repair them.
Reconciliation with others is important TO GOD
Matthew 5:23-24 If you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
Are there people you are still holding resentments towards? People you find it impossible to forgive or to seek forgiveness from? Step eight is about letting go and becomng willing to change, not other people but ourselves. With God’s help, we can become better people and let go of the grudges we have allowed for so long to ruin our lives. Through this step, God is calling us to be willing to do our part and leave the results in His hands.
RECONCILIATION WITH OTHERS IS IMPORTANT TO OUR HEALTH AND PEACE OF MIND
Matthew 5:25-26 When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.
It’s time to settle our differences, and maybe fess up to something we have always known was partly our fault but were too proud and stubborn to accept any of the blame. Sometimes the things that hurt us hurt others just as much but no one wants to make the first move to put them right. There is a book I read in 1987 called ‘Sobriety and Beyond’ by Father John Doe. All through the book, there is a saying quoted that says ‘ACTION IS THE MAGIC WORD’ Step eight is a time to get readt to act. It is a book that convinced me in 1987 before I became a Christian that if I wanted to get serious about recovery I had to get to know God.
I believed then and I still believe that all of us outgrow Alcoholics Anonymous. We come face to face with God and have to make a decision to get to know and to follow Him or go back to our old ways, The choice is ours!
GOD THROUGH JESUS HAS MADE A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO BE RECONCILED
Ephesians 2:14 Christ himself is our way of peace. He has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one family, breaking down the wall of contempt that used to separate us.
We are one in the bond of love! God wants us all to come to Him through faith in Jesus and break the bonds of separation that are stopping us from moving forward with Him and with others.
GOD WANTS US TO BE RECONCILED WITH HIM
Colossians 1:20 Through the Son, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son’s blood on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven.
THROUGH THE DEATH OF JESUS GOD MADE A WAY FOR OUR RECONCILIATION WITH HIM
Colossians 2:14 God wiped out the charges that were against us for disobeying the Law of Moses. He took them away and nailed them to the cross.
THE WAY TO RECONCILIATION IS CLEAR
Romans 5:1 By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God.
GOD’S PROMISE TO YOU
Colossians 1:22 Christ has brought you back to God by dying in his physical body. He did this so that you could come into God’s presence without sin, fault, or blame.
True Repentance
2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
1) Humble yourself by admitting your sins
(2) Pray to God for forgiveness,
(3) Seek God continually, and
(4) Turn from sinful behavior.
True repentance is more than talk—it is changed behaviOUR
Podcasts
Living Life Recovery
Living Life Recovery is a safe place where people can come, share and investigate the realities of God’s promises for themselves.
We believe that as we investigate God’s promises for our lives and practice the ‘Spiritual Principles of Recovery’ as outlined in ‘God’s Word’ we will find the strength and freedom we need to live productive and peaceful lives.
We welcome anyone who has a sincere desire to change their lives. To rise above the pain and turmoil caused by dependencies and compulsive behaviors their own lives or the lives of a loved one or friend.
#ThougtForToday
Many of us wallow in our pasts and sink easily into the harbour of such memories. Ask forgiveness for allowing these feelings to overcome what you know is your new reality. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://livingliferecovery.com/2022/04/27/thougtfortoday/
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