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Experiencing Emancipation

  • Asks ...

    Why does it take so long to work through the 12 steps of AA? I believe in God already and I am ready to submit my will to him have Him heal me. I know that I have harmed a lot of people over the years and I am ready to start making amends now for what I have done but everyone says that I need to be patient and ‘work the steps’ a bit first. I have been sober now for more than 2 weeks and I feel great and am ready to do this. Why should I wait?

  • Dr. Art Sprunger Says ...
    Dr. Art Sprunger

    God is absolutely there for all who seek Him. He loves each and everyone who comes to Him. They will find forgiveness and grace if they truly entrust their whole-soul over to Him so He can apply the true emancipation He purchased for us at such a great price! Galatians 5:! - "It was FOR FREEDOM that Christ set us free, keep standing firm therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of bondage!" ... "You were called TO FREEDOM, brothers and sisters, only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh to rule, but through love, serve one another." (5:13)

    One of the sneaky things about addictions is, however, what I call the "binary thinking" behind the addiction. This is that all-or-nothing, black-and-white, 2 basket system that is so prevalent with addictive behavior. AA works as the initial catalyst for recovery because it too understands this 2-basket mentality and helps those in the dark-side basket move to, and stay in the better-side basket by keeping you focused and supported with better and brighter ways to think. However, it seldom truly brings one into the freedom and true emancipation that Christ talks about. Many in AA programs are still thinking in 2 baskets - just working really hard to stay in the right basket, which is indeed way way better than where the dark-side of addiction is. It is a beginning. Your comment, however, appears to indicate that you are still kinda "all-or-nothing" in your thinking. Being "all-out" for good and God's healing is not bad, but I think what many are trying to say is that you have not yet begun to know how to live and grow in true freedom just by making amends for where and what you have been.

     

     

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