“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.” (Romans 12:l-2, Life Recovery Bible)
Acknowledgment of my powerlessness, and the very real fact that I only knew what I knew, were the baby steps to healing. As I remained abstinent from sugar and flour each new day, I began to see God’s will in my life.
I learned how to love and accept love.
I learned that calm, respectful tones of communication worked.
I learned the skills necessary to respond in appropriate ways when annoyances and resentments flooded my thinking.
I learned to face my fears and work through them.
I learned to replace negativity with positive affirmations.
I learned to stop manipulating and controlling people.
I learned that people are worthy of their opinions, and that it was okay if someone had a different opinion than mine. It didn’t make them “good” or “right” and me “bad” or “wrong.”
I learned to properly and respectfully take care of myself.
I learned that inappropriate behavior was not acceptable from anyone.
I learned to accept and use criticism in a positive, constructive way.
I learned that I was worthy of love and respect.
What people thought of me was none of my business. I had to be willing to listen and admit, time and time again, that I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
In God’s time, with His constant help, I grew to understand and love myself, and enjoy God’s perfect plan for my life. I began to accept life on life’s terms. I learned to trust God in everything, knowing that He was guiding my recovery.
The Twelve-Step program works if you “work” it, although it is not always easy. Physical, emotional, and spiritual healing requires patience, perseverance, love, understanding, commitment, and accountability. You will find joy unspeakable if you apply these principles to your life. I didn’t say, “You might find joy unspeakable.” I said, “You will find joy unspeakable” through God’s amazing grace!
If you open your hearts and minds to God’s perfect plan, and focus your attention on Him, your life will continue to have more and more quality. Peace, joy, and unfailing love will follow you everywhere.
“Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous—possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God! [Ps.24:4]” (Matthew 5:8, Amplified Bible)