People of King Benjamin take Steps 1,2,3

So after spending so much time reading the 12 steps and going to meetings, I can’t help but see the parallels in the Book of Mormon or other scriptures.

I was reading Mosiah 4 today.  I’m a slow reader and I’m trying to get depth. So my whole study today was the first 3 verses.

I think the principles within the first 3 steps are doctrinal and true.

# 1 – coming to know we are powerless and our lives are unmanageable on our own

#2 – coming to believe that we need some sort of higher power to restore us to sanity and spiritual health

#3 – we then turn our lives and wills over to the care of this higher power.

Ok, so verse 2:

The people come to a realization of their ‘nothingness.’  They see their fallen and hopeless state. They see that they are carnal and that they have committed sin.  In a sense, they have come to see their ‘powerlessness.’        STEP 1

More verse 2

“…and they all cried with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified…”

They petition the help of a higher power.  Based on what Benjamin taught them (chapter 3), they see that they need additional help and that God can and would if he were sought.  STEP 2

They didn't just pray for forgiveness but also that their hearts will be purified/changed. That is the eventual goal of recovery. Not so much to remove the addiction but to remove the obsession.

And be uttering this prayer, they are turning their lives over to God.       STEP 3

The results???

Verse 3:  The spirit of the lord comes upon them, and they are filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ…

Wow, what an excellent outcome!  I want this to happen!!  This is the desired result of a proper surrender.  In my post about a small(BIG) victory I gained a testimony of this….that without the reception of peace of conscience and joy….you probably haven’t truly surrendered it to God.

Day at a time!

Side note: I’m wanting to get rid of facebook.  It’s like one of my ‘bottles of alcohol’ that I keep stored in the house.  I deactivated it today….but not deleted it.  I’m torn on this. I wish there was some way to have it out of my life for the next few months but then revive it later when I have more sobriety/recovery.

And today is my 30 day mark of continuous sobriety.  Not perfect. Not 100% free of lust.  But I’m happy to have not acted out fully on lust during the past 30 days.