Prayer is such a powerful tool. Often, we find ourselves engaged in warfare against those we love because of their addiction. I am learning to constantly remind myself, through prayer, the warfare is not against them at all. They are as wounded and fatigued by this struggle as we are. Prayer is changing me. As you pray through the steps, bear in mind the change these prayers can engender, in every heart and every circumstance.
STEP 7) Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
The Principle of HUMILITY
"I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' And You forgave the iniquity of my sin." Psalm 32:5
Oh Lord, I ask that they would be humble of heart and liberated of mind. I ask that Your Spirit would reveal to them their shortcomings and give them the certainty they are powerless to correct them. I ask they would recognize You as being powerful and willing to save them, and they would humbly submit to Your transformative hand. I ask they would surrender themselves to full examination by You and by an accountability partner, and they would routinely submit to being held accountable. I ask they would receive godly counsel with open ears and a heart yielded to correction and the sanctification process. Make them new, Oh Lord. May they desire the newness of life You promise in a way that is second only to their desire for You Yourself. May they wake up each day excited at the prospect of Your work in their lives. May they find themselves repulsed at the thought of living with the sins and shortcomings of their past life. May they bow before You and release their grip on anything You desire to remove from them. Amen
STEP 8) Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all.
The Principle of BROTHERLY LOVE
"And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise." Luke 6:31
Heavenly Father, I ask You to bring them to the realization their addiction has never been solely theirs to bear. You have always been working for good; others have loved them and prayed for them, pleaded with them and raged against their destructive behavior. Help them to see their addiction has done harm to many and been an offense to the One who created them for so much more. Give them the desire to take their recovery so seriously they diligently search the times and places in their lives for those they have harmed; that they make a list and they pray over that list until they have the desire to make amends. Give them clarity as they make this list, help them to see each and every face and admit the damage they have done. At the same time, though, I ask You to remind them that this is who they were, not who they are or who You are making them to be. Amen
STEP 9) Made a direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
The Principle of DISCIPLINE
"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Matthew 5:23-24
Oh Lord, I ask You to bring them past the point of recognizing the harm, through taking inventory of their offenses, and on to a place of action. Give them the bold desire to look others in the eye whenever possible and make things right. Give them the courage and strength of character they need to put the well-being of others above their own comfort. Lord, I see it. I have a vision of the mature, disciplined leaders they can be, leaders who stand out by being humble and lead by serving others. Give them a vision of the healed life, the full life, the surrendered life they can experience when they put You and others first. Give them discernment with regard to making amends; show them when such an attempt would cause further harm and guide them through that process of acceptance. Amen
Steps Ten through Twelve tomorrow.
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