Step 5: We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed.” James 5:16– The Message

Topic for thought

Over the past two weeks we have been travelling what is probably the most difficult stage of the journey, Step 4. We have been examining some of the entrenched, long-standing resentments and grudges we are holding – along with other character defects - and how they have affected both ourselves and our relationships with others. This week we are looking at how Step 5 frees us from the things in our lives that are enslaving us. When we bring into the light those things we have meticulously shrouded in darkness all our lives they lose their power over us. One thing that has been proven over and over again down the centuries is that confession works! For most people Step 5 has a deeply energising effect.

The Issue

The purpose of Step 5 is to help us recognise the source of our pain that has given rise to our addictive behaviour. For most of our lives we have done things without really knowing why. All we understand is that we have to ease the pain we are feeling deep down inside. Once we identify the root cause of the pain, we are able to do something about it. We can give it to God and let him begin to heal us.