Hi All,
Glad you came back! If you look to the right of the page, you'll notice that we're going to be spending the next several weeks on Principle 4/Step 4, so I thought I'd mention some things that pertain to this particular area of recovery since a large chunk of our time will be devoted to it.
Principle/Step 4 is really where the rubber meets the road. This is where we get down and dirty and do some serious soul searching. It is vital that you do not proceed without a sponsor. An accountability partner won't cut it for this step. What's the difference? Glad you asked. A sponsor is someone who has been through the steps and has completed each one with a sponsor of their own to walk them through it. Who better to teach than someone who's walked in your shoes? An accountability partner is someone who is maybe in the same boat you are. Someone who hasn't been through the steps before and who also needs guidance. It's someone whom you can call and can cry to or vent to or spill your guts to, but not someone who's qualified (I don't like using that word, but it's the most appropriate for our discussion) to take you through the steps.
This is probably the toughest, and longest, step you'll go through. I can't stress enough the importance of having a sponsor for this phase of recovery in order to fully grasp the reality and gravity of what we've done (relationships that need repair). In recovery, the most important thing is to go through the steps/principles thoroughly and without anything left behind. This is how a sponsor can help manage your recovery in making sure you're thorough enough to get through what may be the hardest thing you'll do in recovery.
It is my hope and prayer that you get through this most important step/principle with the utmost honesty and integrity. When we go through the fire, God will refine us and make us stronger when we come out because of what we've been through. It is these circumstances that make us who we are in Christ. He is the best solution to our problems. It doesn't matter what we've done, He still loves you and desires your attention and is excited when we come Home to Him. Read the Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32) Rejoice in your suffering, it leads to His glory within you.
Dean
