Addiction Recovery Program Step 4

Step 4:  Truth

Key Principle:  Make a searching and fearless written moral inventory of yourself.

You show your willingness to trust God.  Searching and fearless inventory. 

“Without a searching and fearless moral inventory...the faith which really works in daily living is still out of reach.”

“Vigorous and painstaking effort to discover what these liabilities in each of us have been and are.”

-          12 Steps and 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous

“The Holy Ghost can help you humble yourself and face the truth even if the truth is painful.  With the help of the Lord you can recognize your strengths and weaknesses.” 

Ether 12:27

Step four is an act of stepping out of shame and admitting your need for repentance.  Include weaknesses but also include strengths.

Acknowledging the past.  Write about the resistance you feel when you think about being completely honest about your past.

I am so scared to put all of my scars/skeletons/sins down on paper.  It is so difficult to go back through all of those horrible years of life.  I was a lost, scared girl.  My life started differently than most people near to me.  As a young girl I lost my innocence...and it changed my course and path of life.  Being the sensitive, caring, peacemaking child and person I am I never disclosed it.  Until the day it all came out when I was 19 after I attempted to take my life.  I couldn’t take the pain anymore.  All I knew is that I wanted God to relieve my pain and my fears and my depression.  I had no idea that the healing could happen here on earth. 

I continued that wreck of a life.  I got wrapped up with the wrong people, places, and things.  I did many things I am not proud of.  I hurt many people with my reckless life.  I can’t blame my decisions on what happened but I did grow up thinking much differently than my peers.  I have come so far and it is hard to look at the damage I did.  What is more difficult to think about is the pain I caused the people I love the most.  I feel like I can never undo the pain that I caused them even though I know that they would forgive me.  I am scared looking at my past will bring up such strong feelings that it will spin me back into a deep, dark depression which is so scary for me because I was in that misery from the age of 19 through the age of 26. 

I am also scared to be completely honest because of my pride.  My pride does not want people to think negatively of me.  It’s just plain scary.  I am not in denial.  I know that I need these steps.  I like the scripture Alma 36:13.  It kind of encompasses who I was in trying to distance myself from everyone and everything.  Remembering your sins may be painful but it can propel you into a new life of peace. 

How can the hope of recovery help you through the pain of remorse to the joy of forgiveness?

I absolutely believe in the atonement of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know that Jesus suffered for my sins so I could go through this process of repentance.  Recovery gives me hope to continue to progress and follow this program. 

The Truth

“By the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things.”  Moroni 10:5

Write about how the Holy Ghost can guide you in the inventory process. 

The Holy Ghost provides me with truth and guidance.  The Holy Ghost will provide me with comfort with the truth of this process.  In combination with prayer I know that I can get through this very difficult step of writing down all of my past, the things we want to stick in a closet and lock up and never look at again.

Why is it important to know the truth about your current situation?

Only with truth, knowledge, and understanding can we start to make forward progress. 

Why is it important to know the truth that you are a child of God?

It is important to know the truth that I am a child of God because it give me the hope of eternal life and returning to my Heavenly Father one day by going through this process. 

I absolutely love Ether 12:27.  God gives men weaknesses that we might be humble and have faith.  If man humbles themselves before God, He will make weak things strong.

I have been in the process of recovery for 9 years.  God has taken some of my biggest weaknesses and made them my greatest assets.  I do not regret my past for He has taken the things that caused me the most pain and has made them my biggest lessons to help others with. 

How can recognizing truth improve your relationship with Jesus Christ?

I think recognizing and understanding my journey in relation to the gospel has made all of the difference.  Being honest with myself and with God is the most relationship to be honest in.  Honesty and seeking the truth allows freedom from life’s chains. 

I feel I need to close tonight with my feelings.  I have been extremely grateful to the people in my life, most importantly my Heavenly Father.  Being back in the Gospel of Jesus Christ of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints has been amazing.  The blessings have been showered on me.  Today I have so many words of gratitude come my way.  I had employees tell me how good I have looked, and someone told me that it looked like the chains had been released.  She was referencing my last relationship.  I know it was much bigger chains.  I feel like I am being unshackled.  The yoke is being lifted.  If Bishop told me it would be a year, or five years before I could take the sacrament I would say okay because I know I would just appreciate it that much more.  My life is beautiful, God is great.  I love my family so much.  I love the people I work with.  I love the people I serve.  I am so happy with where I am and where I am going.  I am finally focused on the important things in life:  helping and serving others, doing the best I can at what I chose to do and doing whatever it takes to return to my Heavenly Father and enduring to the end. 

To listen to an actual ARP 12 step meeting focused on Step Four: Truth
Please visit http://www.mormonchannel.org/addiction-recovery-program/truth-step-4

The Addiction Recovery Guide is available as a PDF (24 languages) or mp3.

More information is available on arp.lds.org.