Did you ever hear this statement made around the rooms of recovery? Did you ever wonder where those statistics came from? Well I have a revelation for you. Read this and receive it. Ask your self where the other nine are? Go to the lost sheep!
This is where the sponsor should come into your recovery process. Stick to the process provided in the Twelve Steps. Look for the old timer in the program. The story of the ten lepers is a unique picture of what you should be seeking in a sponsor and that should be gratitude! The story of the ten lepers goes like this: “Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well” (Luke17:11-19 NKJV).
Ingratitude did not deny Christ’s mercy to the other nine, but ingratitude did deprive them of fellowship with Him. Around the rooms of recovery I always heard sayings like, “Only one out of ten of us are going to make it.” I used to say, “Where do they get their statistics for this?” Little did I know that the story of the ten lepers has driven those statistics since the beginning of the Twelve Step Program. Get grateful and choose Life!
The old timers keep coming back because they know the rewards of giving and being grateful. They know they have been called to be a sponsor. “These twelve disciples Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying, “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:5, 8 NKJV). You will be able to see the fruit of the old timer. Find that grateful person and you will find a humble person with experience, strength, and hope freely given.
Gratitude is a frequent topic in meetings around Thanksgiving. But if you have to wait for the arrival of a turkey to get you to talk about gratitude, you might see why so many members are in trouble. Here is an idea to start you on the road to gratitude. Go through the alphabet and make a gratitude list periodically for the small stuff as well as the unexplainable favor (act of kindness, preference, increase) given to you. At my original home-group meeting, Friday was always the topic of gratitude. In my early recovery I frequently found that after listening to others and their struggles I would feel really grateful to leave the meeting with my own relatively small problems. Later my gratitude grew in every area of my life.
It has always been suggested that the inventory be physically written, and this indicates the value of action. When sincerity in the making of the list is present, then the action takes place in the next step. All of us missed the mark; there is not one person who is capable of fulfilling all of God’s laws at all times. In our spiritual lives we are constantly falling. There is no way we can turn in a perfect performance. This is why we claim spiritual progress not perfection. Keep going. We have not reached sainthood yet!
When there is still unrest and questioning comments in us, such as: something just seems missing in my program, or I can’t seem to grasp this, or some people have serenity which I haven’t got, this means that you have not made a full decision with no reservations, no holding back, no cutting of corners to turning your life over to the care of God. You need to go back to step 3. You are still hanging on to self and rebelling. The cause of rebellion is “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16 NKJV). You are still fighting. Going on to the next step would be fruitless and painful. This must be an honest inventory.
Only one came back to say thank you. Every time I go to a meeting; I say Thank You! I say thank you to God for His mercy and grace bestowed upon this drunk. And I say thank you to you for being there for me.
Author of Spiritual Infusion: Twelve Step Recovery and Revival Inside and Outside The Church.