I've mentioned before that I love attending Addiction Recovery Program meetings. I've heard them referred to as "the best-kept secret in the church" and "the best meetings in the church," and I couldn't agree more.
As I've attended these meetings, I've thought that the twelve principles of the program shouldn't be limited just to the context of addiction. They are principles for everyone. I think the reason why these meetings are so spiritual is because they are all about learning to apply the Savior's atonement in your life. They're about casting off the natural man and becoming a saint. In a sense, you could call it the Atonement Application Program. (Alas, I couldn't think of a better phrase that would give it the same initials of ARP.)
I thought it would be interesting to cover the twelve steps of the Addiction Recovery Program, but framing them in the context of casting off the natural man. Here are the twelve steps:
Step One: Admit that you, of yourself, are powerless to overcome your addictions and that your life has become unmanageable.
Step Two: Come to believe that the power of God can restore you to complete spiritual health.
Step Three: Decide to turn your will and your life over to the care of God the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
Step Four: Make a searching and fearless written moral inventory of yourself.
Step Five: Admit to yourself, to your Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, to proper priesthood authority, and to another person the exact nature of your wrongs.
Step Six: Become entirely ready to have God remove all your character weaknesses.
Step Seven: Humbly ask Heavenly Father to remove your shortcomings.
Step Eight: Make a written list of all persons you have harmed and become willing to make restitution to them.
Step Nine: Wherever possible, make direct restitution to all persons you have harmed.
Step Ten: Continue to take personal inventory, and when you are wrong, promptly admit it.
Step Eleven: Seek through prayer and meditation to know the Lord’s will and to have the power to carry it out.
Step Twelve: Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, share this message with others and practice these principles in all you do.
