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The Twelve Steps:
A Guide for Living Faithfully
This is the tenth in a series of short essays by members of the
Faith Partners ministry at House of Hope on the Twelve
Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, how they serve as the basis
for recovery from many addictions, and their application to
people of faith.
The tenth step is: “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.”
Step ten for a recovering addicted person can be a tough balancing act. We have spent so much time obsessing about our drug of choice. How do we take an inventory without becoming overwhelmed with our multitude of wrong behaviors?
“Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” —Acts 2:38
I believe one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is peace of mind. He will give you rest, if you ask As recovered people we appreciate this rest. We remember the chaos of before.
Promptly admit we were wrong. The words, "I’m sorry, I was wrong” seem to catch in our throats. This can be especially true in a close relationship where the first one to apologize loses. Or so it seems at the time.
In Luke 15:27, the parable of the prodigal son, the son said to his father, “Father I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
The parable of the prodigal son demonstrates the power of forgiveness, if we ask for it. Everything his father had given him, the son “squandered on wild living.” (Luke 15:24) The son’s heartfelt apology motivates his father to celebrate his return. “For this son of mine was dead and now he is alive.” (Luke 15:24)
The prodigal son is the clear winner of the story. We read later, of course, of his brother’s jealousy. Family relationships were never easy. The young man in the Bible story lets his whole life fall apart before he admitted his wrong doing. So much pain can be avoided if we allow God and the steps to guide us.
—Jan Favorite
House of Hope Faith Partners Team Ministry
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