I just returned from our Tuesday night Step meeting. During this meeting we take a 30-minute session for each person to do individual Step work, which is then shared with the group. I have found it necessary to return to Step Two and I thought I would share on that Step in order to make my “taking” of that Step more real to me.

The Step reads: “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” What do I see and understand in this Step?

• “Came” — to have taken a journey, traveled a course;
• “Came to” — to have awakened, to become aware of;
• “Came to believe” — to know at depth, realize and accept.

What is this Power? It is greater than me. It is a creative, loving being. The Lord and giver of life. A Power that is willing to be available to me. A source of healing and restoration.

What is to restore? To re-establish what was or what was intended to be. To fix, repair. To renew to original condition.

What is sanity? The ability to know and accept reality. A sense of healthy self-respect as one having been created by God. Being whole, wholeness, holiness. Being the sacred self, the soul-bearer.

AA’s Twelve and Twelve says Step Two requires only acceptance. What is it Step Two calls me to accept? That my life is a journey which has awakened me to the knowledge that a great and loving God is willing to renew me, restoring me to the fullness of life in spirit, mind and body.

Can I accept this? Not can I, but will I? I tell myself, no, I cannot, but why can’t I? Is it only so that I can hold onto my old, self-destructive ways? So I can avoid accountability? If God will do this for me then I am going to choose to let Him. Why spurn a gift so great?

Right now I pray for the willingness to accept this gift of restoration from my God. In your presence I say yes, please God, do this for me. I accept that my God can and will restore me to sanity and all that that means.