The Christian 12 steps evoke beauty and power. They lead us away from drugs and alcohol as they lead us back to a strong connection with Christ... but although the process works, the journey is far from easy. Here are some prayers long used for when times get tough.

The Christian 12 steps evoke beauty and power. They lead us away from drugs and alcohol as they lead us back to a strong connection with Christ... but although the process works, the journey is far from easy. Here are some prayers long used for when times get tough.

In the first of the Christian 12 steps, we admit to ourselves and to God that we are powerless over our compulsions to use.

In the 2, we admit to ourselves and to the Lord that without His help, we can never get better.

It's a step of real humility, it needs to come from the heart, and you need to believe it as you believe in Christ. You need humility here! You are not God, and you cannot do what only He can do! He will cure you if you open your heart to His grace, and by praying to the Lord of your need for Him, you begin a great journey back into the embrace of Christ. He has been waiting for you!

A 2nd Step Prayer from the Big Book of AA

God, I'm standing at the turning point right now. Give me your protection and care as I abandon myself to you and give up my old ways and my old ideas just for today.
Amen

Anonymous Second Step Prayer

Dear God,
I am so tired of drinking, and I know now that I cannot leave it on my own.
I don’t feel very worthy of your gifts, but I'm asking for your help anyways, and I'm going to use what you give me to get better.
I'm scared, but I trust you.
I need your help
I can’t do it without your help.
Lord, show me the way and I will follow.
Lord I really need your help today.

Amen

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A simple prayer to recite whenever fear, guilt, shame or self-doubt threaten to derail your recovery efforts.

You have real goodness inside you and you can achieve your goals – don’t let self-doubt and negative self-talk derail you from your full potential.

Recovery isn’t just about stopping the drugs or drinking (though that's a substantial and necessary ingredient) it’s also about finding the courage to identify what you want in life and then working toward realizing your goals.

Life is movement and change. You can’t just float in the current…you’re either moving forward or you’re losing ground.

Living consciously takes effort and it requires self confidence and a belief that you can achieve your goals. When you don’t feel strong enough from within, ask for help from without.

Here’s a great prayer to recite whenever the negative voices in your head threaten to take over. 

Recite it any time you need a little help from your Higher Power.

The Knots Prayer

Dear God,

Please untie the knots in my mind,
my heart and my life.

Remove the have nots,
the can nots, and the do nots
that I have in my mind.

Erase the will nots,
may nots,
might nots that may find
a home in my heart.

Release me from the could nots,
would nots and
should nots that obstruct my life.

And most of all,
Dear God,
I ask that you remove from my mind,
my heart and my life all of the “am nots”
that I have allowed to hold me back,
especially the thought that
I am not good enough.

Amen¹

Image Copyright: Leo Reynolds

In the 3rd of the Christian 12 steps, we pledge our will and our lives to the God of the Christian Bible.

We pledge to God that we will accept His will as our will, and live according to the word of the Bible. A transformation of life through the word of Christ; which is easy to say but tough to truly do, especially for many of us who have lived lives of arrogance away from Christ for a long period.

While abusing drugs or alcohol, we do not pray with an open heart, leading us from God's love. Now we are sober – maybe struggling – but sober, and now when we pray we are ready to feel God's love and guidance in return. Now our prayers have meaning.

When you struggle, the answer is prayer, always prayer.

The third step is a step of prayer.

AA Big Book Third Step Prayers

God, I offer myself to Thee—to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!

Amen

God, Take my will and my life. Guide me in my recovery. Show me how to live.

Amen

Anonymous Third Step Prayer

God,

I've been away for a while, but now I'm back
I've missed You, and I need You
God, I've made a mess of things, and although I've done wrongs on my own, I'm asking for Your help to start doing right
I don’t know the way out of this, but I know that You do, and I'm ready to listen
God, please lead me and take away my pain so I may serve You better
I am yours, and I am ready
God, let me start again

Amen

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Pray for truth and of truth. The first step is a simple admission of our powerlessness, and because what seems so simple sometimes feels so hard, we pray.

The first step of the Christian 12, takes you closer to getting better through Christ than anything else. The first step is simply an honest and heartfelt admission to God that you can no longer control your drinking or drugging; an admission that you are an alcoholic or a drug addict, and that you need His help.

Prayer Inspired By the Big Book of AA

God, my name is ______, And I'm a real alcoholic ... and I need your help today.

¹1st Step Prayer (Anonymous)

Lord

I am out of control
My use has taken over my life, and I can see that it has done great harm
I want to stop, but I can’t, on my own
I believe in You Lord, and I need Your help

Amen

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It's devastating watching a loved one struggle with addiction. We try everything we can think of, and nothing seems to work. We blame ourselves for our failings and wonder what we could have done differently, done better.

The heartbreak is so great we often lose perspective in life. We blame ourselves for the uncontrollable actions of another. We do it out of love, but our misguided love rarely serves to better the situation, and often our frantic attempts at control only seem to make things worse.

We have, out of love, forgotten God's love.

We try to accomplish what only He can do, and we live away from His grace.

There is nothing easy about addiction, and the pains of addiction always ripple through the family. Understand what you can do and do all that you can, but pray also for guidance on what you cannot do, and accept that only Christ can truly lead a loved one to salvation.

You don’t have to sit around impotent…you can pray! Pray for guidance and strength and let God's grace and love flow through. Do what you can! Run an intervention, get educated, don’t enable…and then leave the rest up to God. Trust in Him. He has not forsaken or forgotten.

Let go and let god.

Pray.

Overcome addiction with the Christian 12 steps as you also build a deep foundation for a true life in Christ. Working the 12 steps is rarely easy, but through them you reap a glorious reward. Pray for guidance, strength and courage, and find through Christ what you seek.

The Power of Prayer Through the 12 Steps

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We will for always remember our grown children as the innocent laughing souls they were, and it hurts us deeply when we see them in pain. Pray for love; pray that they feel God's love.

A mother's prayer; a prayer from despair, for love and out of trust and faith in the Lord.

God, my heart is aching and I need your strength.

I pray that You will fill my heart with love and courage and strength; I pray that you will let me feel your presence in this dark time.

I pray that my daughter will feel how much love surrounds her

I feel boundless love for her. I think of her as a little girl splashing in the tub, and my heart breaks to see her as she has become. I love her so much, and I know that You love her more than I ever can.

Please, let her feel this love.

Please let her use this love to break free from drugs.

Please show both of us the path we must walk.

Amen

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Prayers for understanding, so that we may use our new self-awareness to live better, for God.

The difficult task of completing a moral inventory does little good if we do not use our newfound self-awareness to change our lives.

In the 6th of the Christian 12 steps, we pray to God so that we may free ourselves from those negative traits of character that we may yet cling to.

We are imperfect, we have faults, and pettiness and meanness, and only through God's grace can we hope to overcome our human weaknesses.

The 12 steps are called steps for a reason. They are an upward journey, and all steps have meaning, and you can’t get to the top without climbing all of the steps. The 6th step calls for faith, it asks that we open our hearts fully to God, and that we be ready to have Him lead us forward, finally free from those petty resentments and fears that have for so long kept us in worldly pain.

It, like all the steps, is difficult yet necessary, and through the power of prayer you will climb it.

Pray.

AA 6th Step Prayer

God help me become willing to let go of all the things to which I still cling. Help me to be ready to let You remove all of these defects, that Your will and purpose may take their place.

Amen

Anonymous 6th Step Prayer

God, thank you for helping me realize what I am
And thank you for helping me realize how much I need You
God I'm going to try to do better, but I need your help
Help me to live better, for You
Help me to see my wrongs and faults, at all times
And help me to overcome my weak and sinful nature
God, I've been away for too long,
Help me to stay with You, for You, and for always

Amen

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In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven

Matthew 5:16

When we talk of walking the Christian 12 steps there is an implied ending. You get to the 12th and presto change you’re done and cured, and unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

Better to think of the top of the 12 steps as more of a Stairmaster, and you're going to be on it for life!

And that's a great thing! The 12 steps are simply a set of steps that ensure we live in such a way as to feel God's love, and live for Him - and it's not something that we are ever going to stop needing, or ever stop wanting.

The last of the 12 steps calls for good works. You, by this point have transformed, and what you were is but a memory reminding you of what you never want to be again. As a Christian, you have a duty towards good works, and what better way to serve Christ than through spreading the Christian word of recovery!

Take what you have learned and celebrate it, and strive mightily to lead so that others still using may follow in your example towards Christ.

Anonymous 12th Step Prayer

Thank you Lord for leading me back to You
I was alone and I was lonely
I was weak and I was selfish
I am still weak, but you make me stronger
Before, I followed my own selfish desires, only
Now, help me to lead others to You, always

Amen

There are only 12 steps, but there is no end. The 12 steps are for life, and working the last three of the steps ensures that we live as we should - free from substance abuse -and in the embrace of the Lord.

Pray! Pray every day…5 times a day! Pray of thanks, for grace and with humility. Keep Christ in your heart, always, and live for Him, always.

AA Big Book 11th Step Prayers

As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day 'Thy will be done.

God, I'm agitated and doubtful right now. Help me to stop and remember that I've made a decision to let You be my God. Give me the right thoughts and actions. God save me from fear, anger, worry, self-pity or foolish decisions that Your will not mine be done.

(Prayer of St Francis of Assisi) —"Lord, make me a channel of thy peace - that where there is hatred, I may bring love - that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness - that where there is discord, I may bring harmony - that where there is error, I may bring truth - that where there is doubt, I may bring faith - that where there is despair, I may bring hope - that where there are shadows, I may bring light - that where there is sadness, I may bring joy. Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted - to understand, than to be understood - to love, than to be loved. For it is by self-forgetting that one finds. It is by forgiving that one is forgiven. It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.

Amen."

Making the amends of step 9 was tough, and not something many of us would want to do more than once in a lifetime.

The longer we allow these things to fester, the more hurtful they become, and short of never again harming another (not very likely!) the best thing we can do is to make amends as soon after the fact is possible.

We will try to do better. We will try to live with the love of Christ in our hearts and His Grace guiding our actions, but we are but human and frail and sinful, and we will make mistakes. But now, after walking step 10, we will never again allow such time to pass before making things right.

Pray for wisdom to look objectively and with love at your actions and interactions. See your true nature, and when you do see that you have wronged, make things right…right away!

Pray.

AA Big Book 10th Step Prayer

God remove the Selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear that has cropped up in my life right now. Help me to discuss this with someone immediately and make amends quickly if I have harmed anyone. Help me to cease fight anything and anyone. Show me where I may be helpful to someone else. Help me react sanely; not cocky or afraid. How can I best serve You - Your will, not mine be done.

Amen

Anonymous 10th Step Prayer

Thank you Lord for helping me make amends, and I never want to have such a big list of amends to make ever again!

I'm going to ask for your help Lord, and I'm going to be asking for it everyday from now on.

Help me to treat others with love and kindness only, even when I'm grumpy and even when they seem to do me wrongs.

I can’t control my own life without Your help Lord, so I obviously am not fit to be judging others here!

Help me to be better and live in service to You, and when I fail to heed your grace, help me to see myself for what I truly am, a humble sinner.

So please Lord, help me to heed your grace so that I may immediately right those wrongs that I do commit.

I'm asking for courage, and wisdom and understanding and patience, and mostly for love.

I'm asking a lot, and as much as I ask so am I greatly thankful for You, for Your compassion for a poor sinner, and for Your guidance in all things great and small.

My life is for you Lord, help me to be worthy of your Love. Help me to do better.

Amen

Faith without good works means little.

Step 9 of the Christian 12 steps is a tough one. It's here where you start to put into practice the ideals of Christian living, and demonstrate to your family, community, and to God of your commitment to change, and a better life through Christ.

Making amends is hard. You have to make amends not knowing what you'll get in return, and what you get in return is actually beside the point. You do not make amends for yourself; you make amends to make amends. You do it because you have wronged, and it's right to make things right. You may get forgiveness; you may get a door slammed in your face. You do what you can, you do the best you can, and you can do no more than that.

But wow, few things are harder in life than making honest amends. When you have done someone a real wrong - and when they have every reason to feel angry - to walk up and make things right, this takes incredible commitment and courage.

Do this step well. It's important, and when it's done you will feel better. You may suffer during, and you may pay a price for your willingness to make amends, but when you do it right a load of guilt is lifted, and you are at last truly ready to move only forwards.

Pray for courage and resolve.

AA Big Book 9th Step Prayer

God give me the strength and direction to do the right thing no matter what the consequences may be. Help me to consider others and not harm them in any way. Help me to consult with others before I take any actions that would cause me to be sorry. Help me to not repeat such behaviors. Show me the way of Patience, Tolerance, Kindliness, and Love and help me live the spiritual life.

Amen

Anonymous 9th Step Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father

Where I have done wrong, help me do right
I have done enough harm, and I ask Your help, so that I may do no more
I'll need more courage than I've got, help me be strong
I've been selfish, help me be selfless
Come what may, help me bear it
As I have in past harmed completely, help me to finish this, completely
I have been willful and hurtful; please grant me humility and humanity
Lord, help me be better
Better for You

Amen

Addiction creates pain, always, and while using, we invariably commit wrongs. We hurt people, intentionally and otherwise, and we behave selfishly, placing our need to get drunk or high above all else.

And we need to make things right.

The Christian 12 steps are not easy, but for many, the thought and act of making amends creates the greatest apprehension; and for many, it is here where we need the guidance of Christ most. In the 8th of the Christian 12 steps, we make a thorough and honest list of people we've harmed, and we prepare to make amends to them, and it can be a scary thought.

Pray for the courage to do the job right.

AA Big Book 8th Step Prayers

We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accumulated out of our effort to live on self-will and run the show ourselves. If we haven’t the will to do this, we ask until it comes.

Amen

God help me to become willing to sweep away the debris of self will and self reliant living. Thy will be done for this person as well as for me.

Amen

Anonymous 8th Step Prayer

Dear Lord

I've been in the driver's seat
But I sure am a bad driver!
I've caused more than a few "accidents" along the way
You'd better take the wheel from here on in
Let's go back from where I came
And you can help me make things right

Amen

The 6th step is like a last bit of housekeeping, getting things in order so that God may take our unwanted aspects away forever!

The 7th step liberates us from those defects of character that block His love and grace from our hearts. We pray to God to take away our defects of character, and He does, and it's great!

Through the power of prayer, God will remove our shortcomings so that we may live better Christian lives. If we pray with honesty and longing, He will free us.

A true demonstration of the glory of God and the power of prayer.

Pray!

AA Big Book 7th Step Prayers

My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding.

Amen.

Anonymous 7th Step Prayer

God, I'm tired of what I was, and how I was
I've thought real hard on this, and I've prayed too
I'm ready to live a new kind of life, a life for You
I know now more than ever that I need your help in this and all things
And I'm asking for it with an open heart
Take away all of my defects, and replace them with your love and strength
Fill my heart with the desire to serve only You
Thy will be done

Amen

We live not only with ourselves, and not only with God, but also within our community, and for the 5th of the steps, we for the first time begin our healing as a part of this larger community.

By admitting to our comprehensive listing of moral failings, not only to ourselves and to God, but also to another person, we rejoin the community in the process of healing, and we demonstrate our commitment to God.

Too often our pride stands in the way! When out of humility we should express gladly our sins, so that Christ may help us overcome our failings. We are by nature weak and sinful, God knows this, and all he asks is that we show the humility to recognize it.

The 5th step requires that you shed your pride and admit to another person all of your failings, and this can be hard. Pray for the strength and courage to do it well, and when it's done, you will have truly demonstrated your commitment to God and man, and taken a great step towards real recovery.

You'll feel a weight removed after, if you do it right. Pray to God so that you do it right!

AA Big Book 5th Step Prayer

God I thank you from the bottom of my heart that I know you better. Help me become aware of anything I have omitted discussing with another person. Help me to do what is necessary to walk a free man at last.

Amen

Anonymous 5th Step Prayer

Dear Lord,

Lord, I have done wrong, help me admit to it
Lord, I have done wrong, help me to leave nothing out
Lord, I have done wrong, help me to swallow my pride
Lord, I have done wrong, help me to do right

Amen