God's Comfort: A Journey Through the 12 Steps and Al-Anon

In life, we often seek comfort in times of distress. For me, this comfort came not in the form of easy solutions or immediate relief, but through a journey guided by God, the 12 Steps of Al-Anon, and the support of my Al-Anon group and sponsor. Through this journey, I learned that God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to empower us to comfort others.

Step One: Admitting Powerlessness

My journey began with the first step: admitting powerlessness over alcohol and the chaos it brought into my life. It was a humbling realization that I could not control everything around me. Through prayer and reflection, I acknowledged that my life had become unmanageable on my own.

Step Two: Finding Hope

With the second step, I came to believe that a power greater than myself could restore me to sanity. This was a turning point where I opened my heart to God's guidance and started to trust in His plan for me. Through Al-Anon meetings, I found hope in the stories of others who had walked similar paths.

Step Three: Surrendering to God's Will

Step three taught me to surrender my will and my life over to the care of God as I understood Him. It was a leap of faith, trusting that God's plan for me was better than anything I could plan for myself. This step taught me to let go of control and embrace His guidance.

Step Four: Taking a Moral Inventory

In the fourth step, I took a searching and fearless moral inventory of myself. This was a challenging but essential step in my journey towards healing. It helped me identify patterns of behavior and attitudes that had held me back, and it gave me the courage to face them head-on.

Step Five: Admitting Wrongs

Step five was about admitting to God, to myself, and to another human being the exact nature of my wrongs. Through this step, I found a deep sense of honesty and accountability. Sharing my inventory with my sponsor and receiving their support was a profound experience of acceptance and growth.

Step Six: Willingness to Change

With step six, I became entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. It required humility and a genuine desire for change. Through prayer and self-reflection, I began to let go of old behaviors and open myself to new possibilities.

Step Seven: Humbly Asking for Help

Step seven was about humbly asking God to remove my shortcomings. It was a moment of surrender, where I acknowledged my imperfections and asked for His help in becoming a better person. This step deepened my trust in God's transformative power.

Step Eight: Making a List

In the eighth step, I made a list of all persons I had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. This step was about taking responsibility for my actions and preparing myself to repair relationships that had been damaged by my behavior.

Step Nine: Making Amends

Step nine was about making direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. It was a step of courage and humility, where I sought to heal the wounds of the past and to live with integrity and compassion.

Step Ten: Continued Inventory

With step ten, I continued to take personal inventory and when I was wrong, promptly admitted it. This step taught me the importance of daily reflection and accountability. It helped me stay mindful of my actions and their impact on myself and others.

Step Eleven: Seeking Conscious Contact

Step eleven was about seeking through prayer and meditation to improve my conscious contact with God as I understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for me and the power to carry that out. This step deepened my spiritual connection and provided me with clarity and guidance.

Step Twelve: Carrying the Message

Finally, step twelve was about carrying the message of recovery to others and practicing these principles in all my affairs. It was a call to service and compassion, where I became a comforter to others who were struggling as I once had been. Through sharing my story and offering support, I found fulfillment and purpose.

My journey through the 12 Steps of Al-Anon and my relationship with God has taught me that true comfort comes not from avoiding challenges, but from facing them with faith and courage. God's comfort in my life has empowered me to be a source of comfort and hope for others. As I continue on this journey, I am grateful for the lessons learned and the opportunity to grow in love and service.

In summary, my journey through the 12 Steps and Al-Anon has been a testament to God's transformative power and His desire for us to find strength through helping others.

You gottawanna be free of self and love & service is the path - I love you enjoy your journey.