What next?

    Personal revelation is an important part of addiction recovery. Throughout all the steps there is a need to listen to the Holy Ghost and truly understand what is being taught. When I think back to the steps before step 11, I can see where listening to the Holy Ghost and acting on those promptings truly helped me find sobriety. There were several times while I was writing my moral inventory that I did or did not want to write something down. In those situations, I was able to rely on the Holy Ghost to help me know what I should and should not write down. In step 6 and step 7, we are invited to identify negative characteristics and become willing to give them to God. This requires an inward look that only the Holy Ghost can provide. Once a characteristic is identified, relying on the Holy Ghost to teach you how to give up those characteristics is necessary and needful. I cannot begin to explain how much I needed the Holy Ghost to teach me how to give up characteristics like pride and lust. As you can see, personal revelation makes an incredible impact along the addiction recovery journey.

    This brings up an interesting question them. What is the purpose of step 11? If we are already tapping into personal revelation along the way, why have a step about it? In all the steps leading up to step 11, the focus has been cleansing the inner vessel, if you will. Individuals are invited to have in Christ, write a moral inventory, become accountable for their past, and seek out ways to make amends for their past. The Holy Ghost teaches us how to do all those things. Step 11 is different in this way - step 11 is an invitation to live the rest of your life in such way that you seek out and act on personal revelation. 

    If you are like me, you probably didn't think that is all to different from the other steps. Here is where it is different. In all the other steps, you are invited to seek out personal revelation to do a specific task to help you progress in addiction recovery. In step 11, the only invitation is seek out personal revelation. When this clicked in my mind, I realized the magnitude of this. I didn't know what I should do next. I had to go to my Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ, and ask what I should do next. How could I progress in my addiction recovery? I had to be patient, humble, and willing to listen and act to understand what came next for me. I realized I was to a point in my recovery that Heavenly Father trusted me to go to Him and ask Him "What next?". 

    If this worries or scares you - don't worry! Think of all the success you have had to this point in your recovery. You have learned your Heavenly Father loves you. You have learned your Savior, Jesus Christ, loves you. You have learned there are people in your life who want to see you succeed. You have learned to say "I'm sorry" and take accountability. You have learned the power of giving up negative characteristics and letting the Savior, Jesus Christ, replace them with his attributes. All of these, and many more, required you to go to God, in the name of Christ, and ask for help. Seeking out personal revelation is no different. 

    You might have moments like Nephi where he declared he was being led by the Spirit and didn't have an idea of what was coming next (1 Nephi 4:6). You might have an experience like the Brother of Jared where he was invited to find a solution to providing light on the ships (Ether 3). There may be times where the Lord calls you to repent, like he did the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:1-6). All of these moments share one common thread: personal revelation. 

    I promise you that personal revelation is real! Our Heavenly Father wants to teach you what you should do. He loves you. His Son, Jesus Christ, loves you. The Holy Ghost, who testifies of Jesus Christ, loves you. As you seek out personal revelation in your life, your addiction recovery journey will become that much sweeter!