Day 25 – 12.18.14
Our ability to withstand temptation is now grounded in our continual submission to the will of the Lord. We express our need for the power available to us through the Savior’s Atonement, and we begin to feel that power within us, fortifying us against the next temptation. We have learned to accept life on the Lord’s terms.
How can your continual submission to the will of the Lord enable you to remain abstinent and work all 12 steps of the Addiction Recovery Program?
It has up to this point. Today is day 314 in my recovery from my addictions. Like all the recovering addicts I know have said before, I truly couldn’t be doing this alone. He is there. He does help me. He helps me clear my thoughts and guard my eyes. As I’ve submitted to God in the moment of temptation (especially the temptation of lust), He helps distract me or cause me to do other things that are better for everyone. Yes, I recognize temptations are there, but with His help I am free. I know this submission will help me to continue working the steps of recovery one day at a time.
Express to the Lord in writing, in the form of a prayer, your need for the power that is available to you through the Savior’s Atonement.
Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for they help thus far in my addiction recovery and healing. I know I couldn’t do this without thy help and the Atonement of thy Son. I can only live one day at a time and by submitting my will to thee in the moment of temptation. Thank you for helping me throughout this morning when I was at Madi’s event. I know there were women there that were wearing things that would have been tempting to look at or lust after, but as I submitted my will to thee, I am grateful for the power thow gave me to withstand the temptation and do other things. I’m grateful that I don’t feel any desires to browse the internet or waste time potentially getting into things online that will destroy my recovery process. I will continue to submit my will to thee and will live one day at a time, moment to moment. In the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Have you begun to feel His power flow into you at this time? Describe how this feels.
Yes, I feel it every time I say a prayer in the moment of temptation. I know it’s His power because I could never do this in the past, if fact, I remember thinking, “Yeah right, there’s no way I can refrain from looking at another woman’s body, especially if it’s hot.” But today I can honestly say that, through the power of the Atonement and submitting my will to God, I am living in recovery from this temptation and others. It’s hard to believe even as I write it, but it’s true.
What does “life on the Lord’s terms” mean to you?
It means I take things a step at a time. It means I slow down a bit. It means I prioritize based on what I feel He’ll want me to do (like working the steps and scripture study first, then other things). It means that I put my trust in Him and then get to work, doing the best I can. It means I listen for answers and direction throughout the day. It means I act on urges to do good things.
Your step 3 decision is an expression of your willingness to begin practicing accepting life on the Lord’s terms with faith in Him. Will you do so?
Absolutely! And I’m excited to continue in this decision one day at a time, moment to moment. It feels good to be able to say this today.
As Elder Maxwell observed, this submission to the Lord is hard doctrine. It requires us to rededicate ourselves to His will at the start of each day and sometimes every hour or even from moment to moment. As we are willing to do so, we find the grace, or enabling power, to do what we could not do for ourselves.
How has doing these assignments each morning prepared you to take step 3?
They aren’t always easy. In fact, sometimes they are really hard, especially with the length and with other things that seem to creep into my schedule. But I’m grateful to have kept committed and pushed through one day at a time. I am happy to be part of the program and to be working the steps. I look forward to being able to help others too at some point in my recovery.
Do you need to do better at putting God “first” each day?
I think I can always be better. My intentions are always there I feel, but sometimes things have gotten in the way and I’ve had to work the steps or write later in the day. I recognize how important it is to put Him first and will continue to work on refining my schedule so I can make this the top priority all the time.
Step 3 is a decision to rededicate ourselves to the Lord each and every day, one day at a time. Are you willing to strive to trust in the Lord and practice these principles “one day at a time?” Tell about your willingness.
Yes, I am. I’ve been working on recovery for 314 days now and have really tried to focus on one day at a time. If and when I think too far ahead, it seems overwhelming. But if I only focus on today, right now, I’m confident that with His help I can and will do this. I’m more willing now than I’ve ever been in my life to submit one day at a time.
In addition to remaining clean and sober, what else do you need the Lord’s help to accomplish, which you have not been able to accomplish on your own?
I need His help to have patience with my kids.
I need His help to have confidence in my business potential.
I need His help to be humble too (I know, the last two seem contradictory).
I need His help to stay focused on the most important things in my life.
I need His help with my thoughts.
I need His help to put off the natural man.
I need His help to strengthen my testimony.
I need His help to be successful in my business.
I need His help to make good decisions about a variety of temporal choices.
I need His help in really everything.
I really liked the step work today. I’m grateful that I’m willing to submit to God and that I feel I’m being honest in my willingness and recovery.
I’m going to take a few more minutes and read an article from LDS.org titled, “Helping Others Find Faith in Christ” by Elder L. Tom Perry.
It’s hard for me not to think of Mandy when I read the title of this post. I know I’m no one to judge or find fault with anyone, but I feel in many ways like she’s in a similar boat I’ve been in – drifting to and fro and not really going anywhere worth going in her life. Or even worse, thinking she’s going somewhere but ultimately being deceived.
I’ve been there. And it wasn’t too long ago. I didn’t even know what was happening. I thought I was doing the “right things” – at least sort of. I hadn’t even left the Church or gone inactive. Instead I had got luke-warm and was willfully rebelling against what I knew was right. I was lying to myself and believing it.
I’m grateful that today I don’t feel like I’m there. I feel I have a better direction and purpose, and I want to be clean.
This scripture really stuck out to me:
They grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to [the prophets’] words, to walk uprightly before God” (Alma 45:24).
This is probably my biggest fear about my recovery – that I will grow proud and think it’s all me, that I’m just overcoming my addictions out of will power and discipline. I know this isn’t the case. I know I can only recover by submitting my will to Him each day, each moment.
I can also get proud as I see success in my business. I know that this, too, is a blessing from my Heavenly Father. Projects just seem to fall into my lap. I’m so grateful for the business relationships I’ve created and always want to recognize His hand in those areas of my life too.
I always want to “give heed to [the prophets] words” and “walk uprightly before God.”
I love this one too:
Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (Helaman 5:12).
I’ve felt those mighty winds, those shafts in the whirlwind, the hail and mighty storm has beat upon me and it did have power over me and drug me down to the gulf of misery and endless wo. It doesn’t feel good at all. It makes me sick to even think about where I was and what I was choosing to do with my life.
I wish I could help Mandy see that about herself too. I wish I could help her see what she’s giving up by fearing man more than fearing God and his ordinances, covenants, and promises.
I’m grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m grateful for the truths it teaches. I hope that I can live its teachings and that the example Becky and I share with Mandy will help influence her for good. I hope that, if the time ever comes where I feel inspired, I can talk to Mandy in a non-accusatory way and just try to understand her and help her understand as well.
Until then, I will try my best to live in recovery today and submit to God.
Hasta luego!
Nate
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