Step 12 Devotional: Talking the Walk

There’s another thing that a lot of us need to remember later on in recovery. It’s where we were when we first came out of our addiction and how far we’ve come since then. Keeping something like this in mind helps to give you patience when dealing with others not as far along as you. Triggers and urges might not hit us as hard and frequently as they used to. That doesn’t mean we can’t still empathize with others when they struggle with giving in to those temptations. It might be secondhand nature to keep commitments and utilize accountability these days. But we can still be patient and understanding with others when they aren’t as diligent.

Speaking of being diligent, the bible talks a lot about being diligent when it comes to the weightier matters of the heart, mind, and soul. It’s so easy to slack off on some things, even later on in recovery. We think to ourselves “Look how far I’ve come! I’ve earned a little bit of rest.” Not only can that be dangerous to the progress we’ve made, but it can also hold us back from the true end of recovery. Paul talks extensively about diligence in his letters to Timothy. If anyone is a poster boy for life-change and diligence, it’s the apostle Paul. Prior to his conversion, Paul had things seriously backwards. His job, yes job, was to kill Christians. Talk about a one-eighty!

When Paul talks about “gifts,” he’s specifically talking about spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are a highly debated topic among more scholarly Christians and are too deep to properly discuss in this article. However, we can still consider the gift of recovery and the newfound skills and habits within our recovery journey as these gifts. When we relocate the time, money, and mental energy spent on our addiction to things like playing an instrument, painting portraits, cooking for others, or going to the gym with friends, those things become a vehicle for vibrant recovery. They can then become a platform to help others recover and become something greater than just those “hobbies.”

Timothy is calling us to be “diligent” in the recovery pathways we have chosen in life. And what’s the reasoning and purpose for this diligence? It’s so that others might see how far we’ve come, the hope that we have, and want it for themselves. More importantly, it’s so we can “save” ourselves and others. That’s why we do all of this. We seek accountability, rewire our brains, take up new habits and hobbies, and grow in a relationship with God so we can be saved from our addiction and sin. Let’s be diligent in continuing the journey and sharing the joy and knowledge that’s found in recovery and a relationship with God.