“Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters and to practice these principles in all our affairs.” – Step Twelve.
I often heard Step 12 is about service. Yes, a part of it is, but there’s more.
There are three parts to my Step Twelve;
- “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps”. This tells me that my spiritual awakening comes from working the Steps; living in those Steps daily. For me this is an on-going process to ensure my spiritual fitness. There is no one kind of deal or graduation. I am an addict and will never be cured. I am human and not perfect. I do have a perfect program though and by living in the Steps daily, it ensures my recovery.
My spiritual awakening is a result of working these Steps; ALL of them. There is much for me to learn, and my awakening is a daily constant, changing process by which my Higher Power is molding me into the person I need to be. I ask myself daily, “Am I being a Twelve Step person?”. - “we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters”. Try to carry this message. Am I the message? Is my physical recovery a witness? Am I doing service where ever I am planted? whether in OA or in my life? There is no separation. Are my attitude and behaviors reflective of a Twelve Step person? I know I am in no way perfect. My perfectionism can get in the way of learning what needs to be changed in me. I know I will need to examine myself till the day I die, because I am a compulsive overeater for life.
- “and to practice these principles in all our affairs.” Practice. I am a compulsive
overeater and I have a bad case of forgets at times. I have to stay awake and aware so I can recognize my pitfalls of the past so I can take action, and change what I need. No matter how many times. I believe my Higher Power puts me exactly where I need to be to learn what I need to learn by working the Steps and as a result of that, the very principles become a part of me. I am a creature of habit and I need a lot of practice to change. There were times in my perfectionism the lessons learned over and over again I heard myself say, “Like really God again?”, and in humility I’d say, “Well, I guess yes, there’s something I have missed and it needs to be driven home to me. Show me what I need to change… thy will be done”. I have a lifetime of practice and learning to drive out old ingrained ways.
Step 12 is a culmination of all the Steps. A rinse and repeat with icing on the cake so to speak. A maintenance. IF we live in the Steps.
Thank God for the Steps that recovery is possible.
Submitted by- Melanie B
©2026 Experience Strength & Hope Newsletter,
All rights reserved. Proudly sponsored by OA Foot Steps VIG #09670.
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