Jesus and Support Groups, a Match Made in Heaven

Jesus and Support Groups, a Match Made in Heaven

It seems some people tend to look down upon people who go to support groups like Al-Anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, or Celebrate Recovery. Some of them perhaps feel like if you have the Lord, you should be able to cope with anything that life hits you with. That includes if there is an addict in the family.

     When I accepted Jesus as savior, I knew I had all I needed for life and living in this world. But I also go to Al-Anon and completed a course in Celebrate Recovery. Why? You might wonder.

     Some of us need a little help with focusing on things that will keep them sane in this world. The 12-step support group does this for me along with my daily Bible devotions and prayer, which is my first priority each day. I find when I have something to focus on and good things to put into my mind, I’m more likely to have a good day. Sometimes our days are filled with thinking about our dysfunctional family members, their illness, their addictions and the possible consequences they (and we as their loved ones) may pay. 

            I’d like to introduce you to the 12 Steps of Al-Anon (a group of people who are bothered by someone else’s drinking.)

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

            Realizing that we are powerless over other people and that their lives cannot be changed by us; we learn the powerlessness that comes from yielding to step one. We are powerless but our God, Jesus, is all powerful. When we let the addict or alcoholic continually control our minds and thoughts, we’re not taking good care of ourselves. Our lives become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Does the dysfunction in your life ever make you feel like you are going insane? You have joined the club of mothers, parents or family members of addicts then. It’s a growing club with no dues except the debt of love. Only the Lord our God can restore us and our loved ones back to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

We, as well, as the addicts in our lives have to make decisions, sometimes daily, to let go and let God. In that we turn each situation in our life over to God. We didn’t create, can’t change and can’t control anyone or any circumstance but our Lord can and He will at the right time.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

There are many workbooks and online helps to help us do this step. Mainly I think it is looking at our past, our character traits both good and bad and admitting we need help to be able to live with others.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

After we have seen ourselves for what we are, just a flawed but loved human being, we admit to our Lord, to ourselves and then find a friend or a sponsor to admit the things we feel led to expose. When we do, miracle upon miracle, we find, we are not condemned. We find that we are affirmed, loved and encouraged.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

The Lord forgives! How wonderful an experience to know that He knows our defects, our shortcomings and yet, he loves us still and doesn’t want us to remain in them.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

Step seven is probably the easiest of the steps to work because if I humble myself before God, He has promised to lift me up. His death on the cross guaranteed my forgiveness, so I come to Him knowing He is going to answer my cry for help.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

This goes along with the verse if you bring your gift to the altar and then remember your brother has ought with you, leave your gift and go make it right with your brother, sister, husband, wife, child or friend.

9. Made a direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Sometimes this step has seemed to be a cop-out to me; direct amends unless it might hurt someone, perhaps in bringing up the bad memories?

I remember some years back before I was as knowledgeable about how long it could take to work the steps. I was stressed at a situation and found myself yelling, “Step Eight, Step Eight, Step Eight!” I was so focused on how I felt slighted, that I didn’t even know the right step to say. Step Eight says become willing, Step Nine, says to actually make the amends.

I’d so thought someone was overdue to make amends for the things that they had done to me, not realizing by me even bringing up some of it, the results might lead to more disagreement and disharmony. Life is too short to expect anything from anyone. I try to count my blessings and realize that we may have it bad but there is always someone worse off.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

I do think being prompt with forgiveness and amends is the right way to live when we have the strength and courage and love to live in that manner. It’s sometimes said, “Clean up your own side of the road.” When we do this, we really don’t have time to be wondering about the other side of the road.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

Begin each day with a prayer of asking God to be with us, guide us, live and shine from us and help us to be a part of bringing His perfect will for our lives.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

I love the attraction of a life well-lived to carry the message. A life where joy is shown, a life where we have order, clarity and love abounding. This kind of life only comes from a spiritual awakening; it’s truly divine in nature. To God be the glory! I’ll always believe that Jesus and support groups are a match made in heaven.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGLxXYYwO90

Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps, copyright 1996 by Al-Anon Family Group

Headquarters, Inc. Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.