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Chapter 15: Step Eleven-Part 2
Step 11:
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. (A.A. and Heart t’ Heart traditional versions)
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, seeking the words of Christ through the power of the Holy Ghost that they might tell us all things that we should do, praying only for a knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. (2 Nephi 32:3; Alma 37:37; Helaman 10:4) (Heart t’ Heart scriptural version)
A Daily Prayer Habit That Isn’t Routine
I know now how essential prayer is. I have finally started listening to the Spirit that teaches a man that he must pray, as Nephi said:
And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul. (2 Nephi 32:8-9)
Today, my prayer life consists of many “prayers” or supplications to God throughout my day. Each new day begins with a formal “opening prayer” offered on my knees, addressed to my Heavenly Father. In this prayer, I am sure to express my greatest desire – that He will communicate His will for me, as I seek the words of Christ whispered to me through the Holy Ghost – and that through this channel of revelation I may know the truth of all things. I also ask my Father for the grace or power to carry out His will for me.
Later, as the day goes on, I frequently reach heavenward to stay in touch. I plead for rescue when temptation arises, or when I am in a hard place and being tormented by the power of the Liar. Since “Jesus Christ [is] the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men” (Moses 6:52), I have learned to call upon Him directly to save me in these moments of trial or temptation. “Dear Savior, I can’t handle this temptation. Will you please take it away for me?”
This plea, “spoken” silently in the depths of my heart, is like Alma’s own, when he cried unto the Savior (Alma 38:8). I feel no offense or impatience from my Heavenly Father when I address my thoughts to the Savior in moments of temptation. I feel the witness, even as the Savior expressed in 3 Nephi 19:22, that the Father hears my plea to His Son for salvation as a plea unto Him.
Then, in addition to pleas for relief from temptation, there are the almost continuous “conversations” I have learned to address to the Lord as I seek understanding and guidance for my daily decisions and as I seek comfort when I am sad or lonely or otherwise in need. And above and through all of these interactions with my Father and His Son, there is the constant prayer of thanksgiving and praise for the miracle of my abstinence and recovery. And finally, there is the formal “closing prayer” of my day, offered again, on my knees and addressed unto my Father in Heaven.
Thus, throughout my day, from morning until night, I live my life “unto God.” Though my conversation is often interrupted to interact with others in my day, I no longer “hang up” on God to do so. I pray you will understand the testimony I am trying to share. It is about coming to understand how it is possible to live according to the command to “pray without ceasing” (Mosiah 26:39).
Call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you; Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save. Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him. Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening. Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies. Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness. Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you. (Alma 34:17-27, emphasis added)
By letting our hearts be “drawn out in prayer unto him continually,” we will find that temptations come to have very little power over us. Just picture how you would respond to a temptation if the Savior were walking by your side. His help can be that real.
Rejoicing in the Recorded Words of God
As I have worked through the principles of the gospel represented in each of the Twelve Steps, I have been blessed with new ears to hear and a new heart to understand the scriptures. When I read and truly ponder them, the Holy Ghost brings them to my heart with an impact that cannot be matched by any other writing. Today, I see the scriptures as precious words, spoken by the Lord Himself and recorded by His servants. The Standard Works have become like code books that teach me how to set my heart and mind on the same wavelength as God, so I can receive my own personalized direction through the revelations they contain.
We can gain so much from the scriptures, especially by likening them unto ourselves, capturing from them and using them as a springboard for further revelation (See Appendix A). Because I now understand the Lord’s willingness to actually converse with each of us, I recognize the scriptures for what they are: preserved conversations with God. A beautiful example of this is given in D&C 121. Verse one begins: “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?” In the first six verses, Joseph pours out his heart to God, asking how long it will be before He comes to the aid of the suffering saints. Starting with verse seven, we read the Lord’s reply to Joseph, beginning with the words:
My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. (D&C 121:7-8)
The rest of the section, through verse 46, is a continuation of the Lord’s answer to Joseph, as perceived by the mind of the Prophet and written down for all of us to read. If we exercise our faith and accept the truth that the ideas and promptings we receive in response to our own prayers are indeed coming from the Lord, we, too, can record those in His voice, as if He is speaking directly to us. Nephi described this process of receiving the Lord’s words spoken to us through the mediation of the Holy Ghost:
Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost? Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. (2 Nephi 32:2-3)
It is my testimony that we can receive the voice of the Lord and record it for ourselves, because I have experienced it and cannot deny the power those communications have had in changing my heart and my life. It is the voice of gladness spoken of by the Prophet Joseph:
Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; … a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reigneth! As the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them! (D&C 128:19)
Growing in Receiving Personal Revelation
I have heard it said that there is no recovery without revelation. That might shake you up a bit, but I hope you won’t let it deter you from your efforts to implement this mighty change. There is no need to feel anxious about expecting and living a life based on personal revelation. We are not talking about great panoramic visions like those Nephi, Moses, and Isaiah had. We are simply talking about “conscious contact with God,” of being aware of His love and His presence, of living, as we often refer to it in the Church, “by the Spirit.” Such still, small doses of revelation are more than adequate to lead us into the presence of the Lord and out of the bondage of mortal fears and addictions. According to Joseph Smith:
A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, … and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ. (History of the Church 3:381)
Since Step Eleven is about improving our conscious contact with God, I would like to offer a few suggestions that have helped me to grow in the principle of personal revelation.
1. Acknowledge the revelations of God that already bless your life.
Brigham Young taught that even advances in technology are revealed through the Holy Ghost. He said:
There are men of talent, of thought, of reflection, and knowledge in all cunning mechanism; they are expert in that, though they do not know from whence they receive their intelligence. The Spirit of the Lord has not yet entirely done striving with the people, offering them knowledge and intelligence; consequently, it reveals unto them, instructs them, teaches them, and guides them even in the way they like to travel. Men know how to construct railroads and all manner of machinery; they understand cunning workmanship, etc.; but that is all revealed to them by the Spirit of the Lord, though they know it not. (Discourses of Brigham Young, 33)
Understanding this truth opens the door for us to realize that God’s revelations are responsible for all of the comforts and blessings we enjoy in our modern way of life. Even if we have not yet recognized much personal revelation, we must admit we are literally held in a cocoon of His blessings.
2. Give the Lord credit for the intelligence and wisdom that come into your mind on a personal level.
The Lord has said:
And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments. (D&C 59:21)
In the spirit of recognizing that God’s hand is in all things, I have decided to humble myself and admit that any good ideas that come into my mind are coming from Him.
I have become converted to the truth that King Benjamin pronounced with such fervor:
Believe in God;…that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. (Mosiah 4:9)
God has all wisdom and all power, both in heaven and in earth! As I have often heard Colleen ask with a smile: What part of “all” don’t we understand?
In the same spirit, I have chosen to acknowledge that it is God that does “bring all things to [my] remembrance,” even as John 14:26 testifies. It may seem like a small thing, but I’ve stopped thinking in terms of, “I’m so glad I remembered that!” and have started thinking in terms of, “Thank you, Lord, for reminding me of that.” Recognizing God in everything I once took credit for doesn’t make me feel diminished in any way. Instead it fills me with awe to realize how intimately and lovingly He is involved in my life.
3. Be willing to ask and believe that answers can, and will, come according to the Lord’s timetable for us.
Joseph Smith taught the importance of expanding our vision and exercising faith by being willing to ask:
The things of God are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity – thou must commune with God. How much more dignified and noble are the thoughts of God, than the vain imaginations of the human heart! (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 137)
We need to always avoid the cynicism and faithlessness expressed by Laman and Lemuel, who prejudged God and therefore refused Nephi’s admonition to pray:
And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord? And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us. (1 Nephi 15:8-9)
We can miss out on so many blessings by assuming the Lord will not give them to us, and therefore we don’t even ask Him!
4. Act on the promptings we receive.
Why should the Lord continue to give us direction if we do not exercise enough faith to act on what we have already received? Joseph Smith captured this principle in a wonderful statement of obedience. He said: “I made this my rule: When the Lord commands, do it” (History of the Church, 2:170). We grow in our ability to hear the Lord’s voice as we obey the Lord’s voice to us.
5. Strive to live as worthily as we can.
I can promise you, due to my own experience, that acting on even the smallest intimations of inspiration will lead you to live the commandments more fully. And living the commandments will result in an even clearer channel of revelation. The closer we follow the Lord and the more we surrender our will to His, the easier it will be for us to communicate with Him and for Him to reciprocate.
Living Each Day According to the Revelations of Christ
Being aware of the Lord in our lives does not have to be only an occasional highlight or a rare spiritual experience. His presence is available to us constantly. Colleen shared this beautiful testimony about living from day to day in this spirit of continuing revelation:
To be “highly favored of the Lord” means one thing and one thing only to Nephi and all others who have known the experience. It is to have the gift of personal revelation. It is to have the “lights on,” so to speak, through the “night” of this life. It means to walk this mortal journey with a flashlight, and occasionally even a floodlight, illuminating our way. And since, as the saying goes, “It’s always darkest before the dawn,” we can be sure that no people have ever walked in greater darkness or have ever had more need of “further light and knowledge” than we do at this point in the earth’s history. We are no longer simply in the Saturday evening of time; we are entering the darkest period known on earth – the dark before the dawn. We need not be in despair, however, if we walk in the light and with the light, even Christ.
Wouldn’t you, after some honest thought, agree with this statement: I could get through anything if I just knew what God wanted of me, and that He was there for me. (He Did Deliver Me from Bondage, 148; italics original)
As we continue with our journey, may we make companionship with the Lord not just an occasional experience, but the very walk and talk in our inner life. The more time we spend with Him, the more precious He becomes to us. I love the sentiment expressed in the hymn, “Jesus the Very Thought of Thee”:
Jesus, the very thought of thee
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far thy face to see
And in thy presence rest.
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the mem’ry find
A sweeter sound than thy blest name,
O Savior of mankind!
O hope of ev’ry contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind thou art!
How good to those who seek!
(Hymns, no.
141)
Living by revelation is more than turning to the Lord only when we are in trouble, or only to free us from addictive behaviors. Living by revelation means having an ongoing relationship with the Lord because we want to be with Him – because we love Him, and He loves us. I leave my testimony with you, that I know these principles are true. They have helped me to come to know my Savior once again. He is now my closest and dearest Friend. I know He loves me and I have no fear of Him. I know I can have His help, His friendship, and His company whenever I need it – and I need it every hour, every moment. He said:
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:18)
And He meant it! My continuing abstinence is the fruit of this spiritual reality. I bear this testimony to you, dear friend, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Making the Most of This Chapter
Please take time to answer the following questions in your recovery journal.
1. What we believe has the power to open doors or close them, especially in our spiritual lives. Write a short “Step Eleven Inventory” of your beliefs about receiving personal revelation. Write another short inventory – this time about your experiences with reading the scriptures. Examine your belief in the experiences you’ve had, or others have had, of opening the scriptures and finding answers to their current challenges. Take one verse from the Book of Mormon and rewrite it as if it were being spoken directly to you by the Lord.
2. In admonishing the readers of the Book of Mormon to test its truthfulness by prayer, Moroni first asked us to remember the things the Lord had done for His children. “Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts” (Moroni 10:3). Write about some experiences in your life when you felt that you (or a loved one ) were being mercifully helped or guided by the Lord.
3. Write about your prayer experiences. What has helped you the most to feel connected to God when you pray? Write about someone you know who prays “powerfully.” In your opinion, what is it about them that allows their prayers to open such a powerful connection with God?
4. Copy the words of Hymn no. 277, “As I Search the Holy Scriptures,” into your recovery journal and capture from them. What do they teach you about personal revelation?
5. Sometimes we fear asking the Lord for revelation because we are afraid He will tell us to do something we don’t want to do. Write about why it is important that we surrender our will to God in order to fully open the channels of communication from Him.
Next Week-Chapter 16: Step Twelve
Clean Hands, Pure Heart by Philip A. Harrison, and its companion LDS 12 Step book, He Did Deliver Me from Bondage by Colleen C. Harrison, are available at most LDS bookstores and can be ordered online at www.ldscloseouts.com or www.rosehavenpublishing.com
