Recovery is a journey of growth—a gradual awakening that begins when we finally tell the truth about ourselves. The first three steps—Honesty, Hope, and Faith—help us build that foundation:
- Step 1 – Honesty: We admitted our powerlessness and the unmanageability of life on our own.
- Step 2 – Hope: We came to believe that God could restore what we could not.
- Step 3 – Faith: We decided to turn our will and our lives over to His care.
These steps awaken our spirit—but the awakening is just the beginning. Growth requires courage. The next step—the Fourth Step—invites us to take what we’ve learned and apply it fearlessly:
“Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”
Before we can move forward, God asks us to pause and look inward—not to dwell on our past, but to finally face it with His light and love.
Bridging the Gap — From Faith to Courage
Many of us stumble here because of lingering misconceptions that block courage. Some of us still believe, “I can quit tomorrow,” but tomorrow never brings freedom—only delay. Others think, “If I just try harder,” but willpower alone cannot heal what’s broken inside. Some say, “Turning my life over to Christ is all I need,” forgetting that surrender is just the beginning of transformation. And others think, “Since Jesus forgave me, I don’t need to look back,” when in truth, His forgiveness empowers us to look back without fear.
These errors come from misunderstanding grace. Grace is not permission to avoid the truth—it’s power to face it. The same God who accepted us in our brokenness now walks with us into healing. He does not expose us to shame us, but to free us.
Scripture:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” — Psalm 139:23–24 (NLT)
Reflection / Application:
Courage is not the absence of fear—it’s the decision to move forward with fear, trusting God more than our feelings. When we take a moral inventory, we’re not digging for dirt; we’re searching for truth, because truth is where freedom begins.
God already knows every part of our story. What He desires most is our willingness to walk through it with Him. As we do, honesty deepens, hope expands, and faith becomes unshakable courage.
Reflection Questions:
- Which of the common “false beliefs” have kept me from fully trusting God with my past?
- What fears rise up when I think about making a moral inventory—and what truth might God want to speak into those fears?
- How can I rely on the honesty, hope, and faith I’ve already learned to strengthen my courage now?
Closing Prayer:
Lord, You’ve brought me this far by Your grace. You’ve taught me to be honest about my struggles, to hope in Your promises, and to place my faith in Your care. Now, give me the courage to look within—to see myself through Your eyes of truth and mercy. Help me to face what I’ve avoided, knowing You will not leave me there. May Your light reveal what needs healing and restore what’s been broken, so I can walk in freedom and peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Scripture to consider:
- Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25
- An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells. Proverbs 12:17
- Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ John 8:31
