Healing the Divide from a 12-Step Perspective, Steps Eleven and Twelve

Here we are…at a point in time focused on healing the divide.  No matter what the day brings, we have come together in unity with love as our guiding principle. Step Eleven is a centering step, a grounding step.  When the winds of life begin to blow, we can seek shelter in prayer and meditation.  This step even provides us what to pray for:  knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry it out.

Should you find yourself in a position of prayer today, I would like to share a few prayers from 12-step literature.  I’m sure many are familiar with the Serenity Prayer, a prayer that is often used to start a 12-step meeting.  The shorter version is: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”  I would encourage you to research the full version of this prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr; it is beautiful.

Early in my recovery, I had about a 15-minute walk to work.  I memorized the 3^rd Step prayer from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, Third Edition, to accompany me on my walk. It goes like this: “God, I offer myself to Thee—to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt.  Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will.  Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life.  May I do Thy will always!”  At least I arrived at work spiritually fit and ready to face the new day.

I will be forever grateful to my first sponsor who introduced me to a book, A Course in Miracles.  Although not 12-step literature, it has been a foundational supplement to improving my conscious contact with a higher power.  Every time I go through the workbook, more is revealed and I move closer to His will for me.

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Service is the spiritual principle of Step Twelve.  Many of us start practicing this principle before we get to Step 12.  We get to the meeting early, help set up tables and chairs or stay after the meeting and help with clean-up.  It’s how we learn to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.  Isolation is a key feature of addiction so learning to help at a group level is a positive step towards our recovery.  12-step programs offer many ways of being of service.  There are activities at the group level, and service positions at regional and state levels.  We begin to realize that people who stay sober stay together.  We make lasting friendships and find meaning in our lives.  And when we begin to apply these principles in all our affairs, we become productive members of our society.

It’s been a long campaign with RFK, Jr.  For me, it felt like joining a friend in a 12-step program on a mission to be of service to our country.  I recognized the fruits of 12-step work in his actions and words.  I understood that he knew more than me about the trouble our country faced so I watched his videos and interviews, and I came to believe that RFK, Jr was someone with the knowledge and integrity that was missing in the other two choices for President in 2024.  I joined Slack and found a grassroots group of people that gave me hope for our future.  My natural 12-step inclination to be of service found a new home.  Sharing and caring is what we do. 

Although I sit with my disappointment that RFK, Jr will not be our next President, I am able to accept God’s will.  I only need remind myself of the many times I didn’t get what “I” wanted; and in the end, it was the best thing for me.  I pray that is the case for our country and for RFK, Jr.  I am so grateful to have been part of this campaign, to have been able to share a 12-stepper view, and to have met so many kindred spirits.

May we continue to focus our attention on Making America Healthy Again!