Day 17 – Step Work
As you take the steps recommended in this guide, you will experience the same truth. It is worth every effort. This program is spiritual, and it is a program of action. If you follow these principles and allow them to work in your life, you will find yourself being restored to spiritual health through your new-found relationship with the Lord. His Spirit will help you begin to see your choices more honestly and clearly; you will make decisions in harmony with gospel principles.
How do you feel about taking the steps in this guide?
I’m so grateful for the guide and how it maps out a clear plan on how to use the Atonement every day, every moment, of my life. I’m grateful to have a sponsor as well, someone I can return and report to and someone that keeps me moving in the right direction. I’m committed to working the steps of recovery one day at a time.
Do you believe that the Lord can and will restore you to spiritual health through working the program to partake of His Atonement? Explain.
Absolutely. Today is day 306 of my recovery from addiction to lust, pornography, masturbation and other inappropriate sexual relationships. I know that only through working the steps of recovery, submitting my will to God, and living as close to God as I possibly can, that I’ve been able to stay in recovery this long.
I feel that the Lord is restoring me to spiritual health as I am willing to work the program and partake of the Atonement each moment through repentance, honesty and prayer.
Describe your relationship with the Lord at this time? How has it changed? How would you like it to change?
I feel my relationship with the Lord is pretty good right now. Is it perfect? No. I feel I can talk with him more, express my gratitude for his blessings and hand in my life, and continue in prayer and meditation as part of my daily routine. I do feel I’m coming to know Him better and understand what His will is for me, which I’m grateful for.
I would like it to change more as I’m willing to submit more, communicate more and feel His presence more. I feel I still am proud in some areas of my life, and I want His help with those areas. I realize that all I can do is take things one day at a time and have the desires to continue to improve my relationship with Him.
Have you experienced change in your ability to see your choices more clearly and honestly? Give several examples.
Today has been a good example of how I’ve changed, I feel. This morning it seemed like there was so much on my shoulders and things were going out of control. I got a bit snippy with Becky and was overwhelmed with so much to do. However, right after I got snippy, I apologized and tried to calm down. I wrote things out regarding what I had to do and then started just chipping away. Becky and I talked things through a bit and things felt so much better.
I’m grateful that I can be honest with myself and with Becky. I’m grateful that I have been able to change how I deal with stress and anxiety.
I also had the chance to talk to her a bit later about sites that came up on Covenant Eyes as blocked. Luckily, I hadn’t seen any sites, but had been going through a portfolio of a designer and some of the sites were blocked. I had talked to her about this yesterday as well so there weren’t surprises or secrets – we just talked things through and it felt right.
Are you making decisions that are in harmony with the gospel more frequently? Give several examples.
I believe so, yes. I’m working hard everyday to submit my will to Him. I’m reading in the scriptures. I’m working the steps of recovery. I’m praying with my family, with Becky, and personally. I’m trying to magnify my calling. I’m surrendering my will to Him and asking for his help in the moment of temptation.
For some of us this miracle was almost instantaneous; for others, recovery has been more gradual. However it may occur for you, you will eventually be able to say with us that through “steadfastness in Christ,” you are rescued from addiction and enjoy a “perfect brightness of hope” (2 Nephi 31:20).
Would you say the miracle of recovery has been instantaneous or has it been more gradual so far?
Definitely been more gradual for me. I feel things continue to get better as I am aware, submissive and put God first in my life. I realize this time more than ever that recovery is a life-long pursuit. It’s never over. Life is a test to see how willing I’ll be to submit my life and will over to Him. It’s really all I can give Him.
I’m grateful for this realization.
Do you feel you are being rescued from addiction by the Lord? Describe how this feels.
Yes, I truly do. Today is day 306 in recovery and I’m grateful every day that I want to submit, that I want to be clean and be true to what I believe.
I feel so free. I feel so protected. I’m grateful to feel the Spirit in my life again.
Did you notice the promise that you WILL eventually be able to say with us that Christ has rescued you from addiction? Do you believe this promise? Will you live for it? Describe your feelings about this promise and living and working for it.
I’m grateful for this realization. Yes, I do believe this promise and I’m feeling it in my life as I turn my life over to him. Yes, I am willing to live for this. I want to turn my life over to him and just let him direct me.
One thing I do realize is I can’t think too far ahead, instead I just have to think about today and what I can do today to live in recovery.
I’m grateful to be going to meetings and working on recovery with others who have given me an example of how to live in recovery.
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