Principle 2: Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover. “Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) Step 2: We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13) In Principle 2 we earnestly believe that God exists, that we matter to Him, and that He has the power to help us recover. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “Anyone who comes to [God] must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Psalm 62:5 says, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” In the first principle, we admitted we were powerless. It is through this admission of our powerlessness that we are able to believe and receive God’s power to help us recover. We do need to be careful, though, not to just cover the bottomless pit of our hurts, hang-ups, and habits with layers of denial or just try some quick-fix. Instead, we need to keep those hurts exposed to the light so that through God’s power they can truly heal. It’s in the second principle that we come to believe God exists, that we are important to Him, and that we are able to find the one true Higher Power, Jesus Christ! We come to understand that God wants to fill our lives with His love, His joy, and His presence. One of my very favorite parables is in Luke 15, the story of the prodigal son. Though the story is about a father’s love for his lost son, it is really a picture of God the Father’s love for you. God’s love is looking for you, no matter how lost you feel. God’s searching love can find you, no matter how many times you may have fallen into sin. God’s hands of mercy are reaching out to pick you up and to love and forgive you. That’s where you will find hope, and that’s why we call Principle 2 the “hope” principle.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 14:40:39 +0000
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