Amazement in Recovery: Surrender, a Higher Power, and the Twelve Steps
Spiritual recovery asks us to take simple actions: surrender, tell the truth, pray, and trust a Higher Power as each person understands that Power. In fact, one AA promise says, “We will be amazed before we are halfway through” (Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 83). That amazement grows as we practice the Twelve Steps and watch God change our lives in ways we could never explain on our own.
Spiritual Recovery and Amazement
For me, amazement rises when I notice the mysteries of God and His work. Likewise, Pope John Paul II described it as a “deep amazement at man’s dignity and worth.” In recovery, amazement often begins when we realize a Higher Power does what we could not do for ourselves.
Long-Term Sobriety and the AA Promises
As a newcomer, I listened to several AA elders describe how recovery changed their lives. Again and again, they called the miracle of not drinking “unfigure-outtable.” They could not fully explain it, but they knew the program worked when they worked it. As a result, their witness gave me hope and taught me to follow people with long-term sobriety.
Spiritual Tools for Alcoholics Anonymous Recovery
The founders of AA connected sobriety to spiritual action: “We are without defense against the first drink…beyond human aid…there was nothing left for us but to pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet” (Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 24–25).
Higher Power and Surrender in Recovery
Eventually, the answer appeared before me: God, as I understood Him. I could not stop drinking on my own, and no person could keep me sober, but a Higher Power could help me when I became willing to seek help. That mystery amazed me. Therefore, I needed to keep it simple, follow the suggestions of the AA elders, practice the program, let God into my life, and trust Him to care for me.
Living Sober One Day at a Time
Ultimately, spiritual recovery does not ask me to figure everything out. Instead, it asks me to surrender, use simple spiritual tools, and trust a Higher Power one day at a time. When I stop trying to manage recovery alone, the Twelve Steps teach me to live sober with discipline, accountability, and hope. That, my friends, truly amazes me.
Reflection: Where have you seen a Higher Power do what you could not do for yourself? Today, take one simple spiritual action—pray, call your sponsor, attend a meeting, or help someone else—and stay open to being amazed.
Once again, so very much appreciate your words in beginning my day!