Praying the 12 Steps of Recovery for Those in Addiction

In 2018, my husband and I were called by the Lord to be part of a situation we had left behind. It was a problem we no longer tried to solve, no longer wanted to solve, and, quite honestly, only occasionally asked God to solve. This new commission renewed our hope, at the same time, placing us right in the thick of things once again. A little over a month ago, it ended as quickly as it began. It was heart-breaking. We experienced grief, loss, fear, anger, betrayal, and emptiness; but most of all, utter confusion. NOTHING had been resolved. If anything, the situation was more volatile than before. What had been the purpose for all of this?

I don't have that answer in its entirety, but something God revealed to me within those first few dark days was, we had lost hope. The wound had grown so much a part of our lives, we stopped asking for it to be healed. But it wasn't just our wound -- others were suffering as well; and even if we chose to live with the pain, we had an obligation to pray for others. As Christians, didn't we desire God's glory? Shouldn't we have been praying for God to be exalted and His name to be made known? But, we had lost hope. 

That is when I began to pray through the 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous, to "stand in the gap" for those as yet unable to do it for themselves. I asked God to bring these new admissions and behaviors to fruition in them. I prayed, asking God to prepare the places where I hope they will one day step. As I prayed, I found hope, and strength, and a renewed commitment to their recovery. As I prayed, my focus began to turn back to the God of the HIMpossible and the Hope that is ours.

Over the next few days I would like to share with you things I hope will be a resource for those affected by addiction:

Far too many lives have been touched by addiction. Addiction, in one form or another seems to exist within our nature. Some people realize their triggers early on and find ways to manage without lapsing into addictive behaviors. Some spend most of their lives struggling to get free of something that controls the way they think, the things they say, and the way they act. Over and over, the cycle repeats: the desire to be free, the fight to get free, and the concession that freedom is impossible. Engaged in that battle are the addicts themselves, and those around them. Coworkers, neighbors, sponsors, friends, spouses, children. People who may have never abused substances or wrestled with addiction in their life are now wrestling with the addiction of those close to them.

I believe there is hope. I believe that, as those looking on from a distance or living with an addict on a daily basis, we can help. We can help in a way that requires commitment and discipline (things most addicts struggle to maintain for themselves), passion and compassion (things most co-dependents, friends and family members struggle to maintain with regard to an addicted person), and prayer. One of the tenets of support organizations (such as Al Anon and Nar Anon) is to understand and navigate another's addiction by teaching family and friends to practice the 12 Steps of Recovery themselves. I believe those 12 Steps can also be prayed through.

I believe the 12 Steps and their principles are applicable to all our lives, no matter where we are in our addiction or the addiction of others. As you pray these steps, it is my hope you will find healing and your prayers will bring about healing for those in your life.

"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." ~ James 5:16b

 Steps One through Three tomorrow.