King Benjamin Teaches Step Two

This is the second in a series of the Twelve Steps of recovery as taught by King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon. These are all taught in Mosiah chapter 4. We will compare the AA Step, the LDS Guide to Addiction Recovery, and King Benjamin's teachings.

AA Step 2: "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." 

LDS Addiction Guide: "Come to believe that the power of God can restore you to complete spiritual health." 

King Benjamin thoroughly teaches this step. It is a concept of faith. The LDS guide summarizes each step with a word or phrase, and this step is labeled "Hope."

King Benjamin teaches this concept of a correct belief in God's power with the following verse:

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe 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).

I believe that every new addict who comes into Twelve Step recovery has a faith problem. One of my recovery heroes was a local man from Springville. Of course, when I attended Springville High School, everyone called Springville the drug capital of the world (or so it seemed from some of the stories and newspaper articles). This man was an atheist, so this step of believing in a Higher Power was difficult for him. He did the best he could. He found an old coffee can and nailed it on a post in his barn. He put it way up high so it could be his "Higher Power." He would go out in the mornings and talk to his Higher Power. Over time these conversations became intimate and he began to have feelings deep in his soul. He knew that coffee can could not produce the feelings he was experiencing. There had to be Someone out there who cared deeply for him. I remember him sharing in an AA meeting of how his concept of a Higher Power had changed. I remember him saying, "Today, I believe in a loving Father."

My own belief crisis was much different. I had gained a testimony of the Gospel many years earlier, and years of alcoholism and drinking, as much as I wanted to drown my testimony, it just wouldn't go away. As a missionary in Germany, I had witnessed miracles wrought by God. My testimony at that time was purely academic. I didn't feel anything.

I remember those first few AA meetings, how I looked at the Steps and they all had this scary three-letter word--"God." I knew He was out there somewhere in the universe, ready to zap me at any time. I was certain He had written me off a long time ago and wanted nothing to do with me. I listened to other alcoholics talk about their upbringing, how they were abused and came from broken homes. I came from a loving, wonderful home with the best parents in the world, and was a return missionary. Surely, God would help and forgive these poor heathens who never had a chance, but I thought He would never forgive me.

I pick up where I left off last week--at that first AA meeting on July 17,1989. After I choked out those awful words, "My name is Brad, and I'm an alcoholic," I thought to myself, "Now what do I do?" I have to tell you that Step One by itself is not a good place to be. Yes, I was beat up. Yes, I was powerless. But what could I do? I thought maybe the best I could hope for was to quickly poison myself. I had no hope.

At the end of the meeting we stood up, formed a circle holding hands, and recited the Serenity Prayer. By the way, making a circle and reciting a prayer in unison somehow rang true to my soul and caused my mind to recall better days. I remembered reading this poem in a hippie shop--you know, the kind where they sell incense and black light posters--"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." The next part literally shocked me. Everyone in the circle (except me) chanted, "Keep coming back. It works!" For a brief moment, a circle of drunks became my "Higher Power" and an entire belief system. My eyes scanned the faces in the circle for validation. I saw smiles on the faces and a brighter hope in their eyes. It was enough hope to get me to the Lunch Bunch Meeting the next day.

When the meeting was over, these same "drunks" all rallied to my aid with their phone numbers and pledges to help me--someone they had never seen before. I had to ask myself why.

Just because a problem or an addiction seems insurmountable, doesn't mean the Lord can't solve it. King Benjamin teaches "man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." If the very Creator of the universe can create heaven and earth and "has all wisdom and power," then maybe He might have a shot at helping a drunk like me. By the way, God possesses all wisdom and power. In Step Eleven we are asked to pray for knowledge and power. He is the source. I know that today.