Recovery is a common term with different meanings. For the purpose of this and future posts, I will use the following definition, recovery is the return to a normal state of health, mind, and strength. There are many reasons someone may seek recovery:
Overcome a deep hurt
Eliminate destructive habits
Conquer nasty limiting beliefs or hang-ups
For me, I sought recovery for abandonment issues, codependency, perfectionism, low self-esteem, people pleasing and control issues. You see recovery is for someone that acknowledges there is a problem, an issue, a bad habit, a hurt or a hang-up they can’t shake. I admitted I had a problem. Matter of fact I had a few and desperately wanted to break free from my self-sabotaging behavior.
I found true healing with a program called Celebrate Recovery (CR). CR is recovery program based on the eight principles from the beatitudes in the bible. Below are the CR 8 Principles and the 12 Steps with biblical comparisons.
CR 8 Principles:
Realize I’m not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable. Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor. Matthew 5:3
Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover. Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4
Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control. Happy are the meek. Matthew 5:5
Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust. Happy are the pure in heart. Matthew 5:8
Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires. Matthew 5:6
Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others. Happy are the merciful. Matthew 5:7 Happy are the peacemakers. Matthew 5:9
Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.
Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good news to others, but by my example and by my words. Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires. Matthew 5:10
CR 12-Steps with Biblical Comparison:
Step 1We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors – that our lives had become unmanageable. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. Romans 7:18
Step 2We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. Philippians 2:13
Step 3We made a decision to turn our wills and our lives over to the care of God. Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1
Step 4We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40
Step 5We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16
Step 6We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10
Step 7We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Step 8We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31
Step 9We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you; leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to your brother then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24
Step 10 We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. So if you think you are standing firm, be careful you don’t fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12
Step 11We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God praying only for knowledge of His will and the power to carry that out. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Colossians 3:6
Step 12Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs. Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently, but watch yourselves or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1
Connect if you have questions about CR or go to Celebrate Recovery to find a local group in your area.
Recovery is a common term with different meanings. For the purpose of this and future posts, I will use the following definition, recovery is the return to a normal state of health, mind, and strength. There are many reasons someone may seek recovery: