The Twelve Steps
The First Step of the
12
Steps: Part
2
"We admitted we were powerless
over alcohol -- that our lives had become unmanageable."
In the First of the Twelve Steps, we affirm the
phrase we were powerless.
The First Step requires a lot of
humility on our part! Imagine admitting to ourselves that we
are powerless over anything in our lives! Yet, admitting this
does not mean that no power is available to us to help us with
our problems or to give us the strength we need to overcome any
addiction or weakness we might have.
We have found that many times
we will not turn to our Higher Power for guidance and strength
until we have become desperate! In desperation, we will admit
we are powerless. We do not have (or no longer have) the power
in and of ourselves to deal with the situation we face, perhaps
a dependency or co-dependency. But again, that does not mean
that no power is available to us. We have discovered that when
we turn to God and admit our powerlessness, then God will begin
to give us the power we need. And, we will need the power and
wisdom of our Higher Power to work all the 12 Steps completely
in our recovery program.
Some of us can affirm all of the First Step
quickly and easily because we know we have hit bottom. For
others, to say "We admit" is not so easy. Given enough
experience with our situation and time for reflection, we will
be able to say from our hearts: "We admitted we
were powerless over alcohol (or change the word "alcohol" to
your own situation) -- that our lives had become unmanageable."
