In step 1, you admitted that your life is unmanageable and that you have no power over your addiction on your own. Step 2 is about developing a relationship with a Higher Power and calling on Him to strengthen you throughout your recovery. The second step of the 12-Step program is, “We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” At its root, taking an LDS perspective to addiction recovery makes Step 2 a given for anyone who makes it a key part of their foundation.
LDS doctrine tells us there is a Higher Power who is able to help you through your struggles with addiction, but you must have faith in Him in order to receive His guidance. Some people who begin recovery already have a firm belief in God, while others use to believe in Him, but have lost faith. There are those who never had a belief in God before beginning the 12-steps. No matter what your current belief in God is like, you can develop faith in Him, and it will help you to recover from addiction.
Developing faith in God may seem like an abstract idea, and you may not know where to start. There are some things you can do, even if you currently have no faith, to begin building this sacred relationship.
- Identify Your Higher Power: Most 12-step programs make it abundantly clear that you don’t need to be a believer to have a higher power, as it can be subjective as to what that means to you. However, within LDS ideology, your Higher Power is inherently built-into your recovery as you build a closer connection and relationship with God.
- Pray: Communicating with God and asking Him for help will strengthen you as you meet challenges. If you’re new to praying you can pick a prayer, such as the Serenity Prayer, that you say in the morning, at night, and throughout the day for peace and strength.
- Meditate: Meditation is similar to prayer. This is where you take some quiet time to yourself to pray, clear your mind, and redirect your thoughts. When things are getting rough and you feel that you might break, take some time to quietly meditate and get back on track.
- Take Action: Even if you don’t feel like you have any faith, you can act as though you do. Praying, asking for help, and doing the best you can, even if you aren’t convinced that anyone is listening yet, will eventually develop into a rewarding relationship with God.
- Stay Positive: Go forward in your life with a determination to focus on the good things. Take note of all the blessings you receive, no matter how small. Be grateful that you wake up each morning, that you have food to eat, and that you have this opportunity to change your life. Spend time with people who make you laugh and look for the humor in life.
As you use these ideas as stepping stones to God, you will begin to have feelings of hope for your future. This is God entering your heart and working in your life. You will begin to notice His presence more and more as you accomplish things that you could not have done on your own. Soon, you’ll feel yourself gaining the upper hand over your addiction and getting better.