Step 11 – ‘Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand him. Praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out’.
This step is a particularly difficult one for most people because it seems to ask for some sort of religious commitment. If you read this step before getting through the preceding 10 steps, it can be as good an excuse as any to reject the 12 Step Programme as a way to living happily clean and sober. That is you, then please disregard this step until you come to it after working the other 10 steps and be open minded till then. If you really want recovery, that is all you need to do for now.
Open-Minded
If you have reached this step having been through the first ten, you will probably already have had to be open minded and have had to take some leaps of faith – which should have paid off. Even those of us who do have some beliefs in a God prior to entering the programme have to trust that it will work at this point as this seems like quite a big commitment.
So far, going through the steps should have got you to being clean and sober and a lot happier than you were. The people you love should also be happier as a result of the changes in you. You should have some faith that these changes and this new way of life can be kept up and that you need never have another drink or drug again.
Step 11
You should already have made some room in your life for a conscious contact with a Higher Power in many of the preceding steps even if you have done it somewhat reluctantly. However, by this point you should also have realised that it has worked. Even if you remain sceptical many of us need just to be willing to keep trying. To be open to the possibility that it will work – and it will. Keep going through the motions of praying in the morning to your Higher Power for strength and guidance for another sober day. Keep praying at the end of each day to give thanks for another clean and sober day achieved. Specifically:
– ask the God of your understanding to direct your life and thoughts every morning
– when faced with indecision or difficulty throughout the day ask your Higher Power to direct your thoughts
– in the evening do a nightly review of your day, alongside your step 10 by considering whether or not that day you have been resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do you owe an apology? Do you need to share something with someone? Have you been kind to everyone? Could you have done better? Have you been selfish?
Simple Routine
We only need to get into this simple routine with some faith and wait for it to show results. I promise you – along with many other recovering alcoholics and addicts – that it will.
The Haynes Clinic is an alcohol and drug rehab clinic which offers detox and counselling for people with addictions. It follows the Twelve Step Programme of recovery. See the overview of our complete 12 step rehabilitation programme
Call 01462 851414 for free and confidential advice.
