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Seeing Each Step as Testimony of My Need to Anchor My Life in Christ
Not long after beginning to study the Book of Mormon to discover if the principles in the Twelve Steps were found there, I began to see that every step included a testimony of the Savior’s absolute centrality in my recovery in the following way:
Step One: Establishes the truth of my absolute need for the Atoning Power of Christ–that without His Spirit with me I am lost.
Step Two: Establishes Christ’s singular place in the Atoning process as the One who the Father sent to save me and to whom I must come and seek oneness with if I desire to be triumphant over the effects of the fall in my life.
Step Three: Establishes the truth that it must be by my choice, by my initiative that I look to Christ and accept His ever-present willingness to be as one with me and save me.
Step Four: Establishes the truth about what my past life has been like and how I’ve departed from the Savior’s teachings.
Step Five: Establishes my willingness to come unto Christ by telling the truth and allowing appropriate others to know of my past weakness and my willingness.
Step Six: Establishes the truth that no part of the process of redemption is mine except the willingness to be changed; that not even my own best efforts will bring about the change of heart I need. Only Christ can change my heart and thus my disposition or personality.
Step Seven: Establishes the truth that I must come to a place like Alma the younger and like the people of King Benjamin, and surrender myself unreservedly to the power of Christ’s Atonement.
Step Eight: Establishes my need to seek the Spirit of Truth in guiding me to make a list of all those I have harmed in my past, and to become humble enough to make restitution wherever I can.
Step Nine: Establishes the sincerity of my repentance by asking me to make amends to all those whom the Spirit of Christ confirms would be blessed and not further injured by my attempts at reconciliation.
Step Ten: Establishes the truth that as long as I am mortal I will have the need to retain a remission of my tendency to sin.
Step Eleven: Establishes the truth that my relationship with Christ through personal prayer and quiet meditation is maintained by “the revelations of Christ” to my soul for my personal guidance and comfort.
Step Twelve: Establishes the fact that to keep my deliverance I must carry the message that the Savior is this near and this available, one miraculous day at a time.
[Continued tomorrow]
~Colleen H.
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