There is no easy way to start talking about surrender. It is something that makes many of us uncomfortable. Others of us might run away just at the thought. But step one, surrender, should not be something we fear. It can be about finding freedom.
As well as being the first step in the 12 Steps program, it’s the foundation of lasting recovery built on a foundation that lasts longer than anything we have to offer: God.
Here, we will examine why Step One Surrender is so important in addiction treatment and learn how to do it.
Hopefully, we can all find that surrender is less about losing control and more about finding true strength.
The Power of Surrender: A Leap of Faith
The typical image of surrender is the white flag. Maybe on the battlefield, there is also the idea of soldiers running away from the fight because they know they have been defeated. But in addiction recovery, that isn’t as helpful.
Surrender in recovery is a victory. Think of it more like surrendering to a doctor when surgery has to happen. You have to have faith that the doctor knows what he is doing. You might want to perform the surgery, even if you have the know-how. But ultimately, you cannot do it yourself.
There are a few aspects of surrender that are important in getting free from addiction, but let’s start with the most important one.
God’s Role in Your Step One Surrender
To successfully begin the 12 Steps, we must give God control. (You can even call it the Higher Power if you want.) Plenty of people do not believe in God yet choose to surrender control to something outside themselves for healing. It still works.
At Covenant Hills, we understand this as God working despite us, but we have seen enough evidence that we don’t push the semantics. God wants us to release control of our recovery to him. And this is the first step to surrender.
God is not just a distant deity watching from afar. He is intimately involved in your journey of recovery. Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Step One Surrender to His Way
God is the infinite creator of all things. His insight and wisdom are enough to heal you of any disease. But the more you try to be the “doctor,” the more difficult it is to find that still small voice of the true healer.
God wants to bring you to healing, but you have to get out of the way first. This is why it is so important to say and believe, “I give up my control over my recovery. I trust you to bring me healing.”
The good news is God wants you free from the chains. He can do more than just bring freedom; he can bring redemption. God can use what once harmed us to do vast amounts of good.
Even More From Surrender
There are more layers to step one surrender. Surrendering in recovery means acknowledging that you can’t do it alone. Along with God, there is more help—people, places, and systems that can help us.
From a scientific standpoint, addiction alters the brain’s chemistry. It takes over the reward system, rewires our neurons to crave the substance, and even depend on it for vital life systems. This is not something white knuckling or desiring can change.
When we surrender our treatment to professionals who are experienced guides, it makes all the difference. Surrendering acknowledges this biological reality and opens the door to physical and spiritual healing.
How to Surrender: A Practical Guide
Surrendering might sound abstract, but there are practical steps you can take to make it a reality. Here’s a simple guide:
- Acknowledge Your Powerlessness: The first step is admitting that you are powerless over your addiction. This isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a courageous act of honesty.
- Seek God’s Help: Once you acknowledge your powerlessness, turn to God. Pray, meditate, and ask for His guidance. Trust that He has a plan for your recovery.
- Let Go of Control: This is perhaps the most challenging part—releasing your grip on control. Remember, surrendering doesn’t mean you’re giving up; it means you’re giving over. Trust God’s plan over your own.
- Practice Patience: Surrender is not a one-time event but a daily practice. Be patient with yourself as you learn to let go and trust in God’s timing.
- Join a Support Group: Surround yourself with others who are also on the journey of surrender. A community can provide encouragement, accountability, and shared wisdom.
The Importance of Surrender in the Bigger Picture
The important thing to remember in this is that surrender as a way to understand life extends beyond addiction. There’s a reason we were caught up in addiction in the first place. Yes. Addiction is a disease, but there are behaviors and root problems that brought us here, and that need resolving. Surrender is a key to receiving this healing.
Also, God is essentially good. He wants what is best for us and knows the best way to bring hope and peace to us. Surrendering is a conscious choice to trust him. It is an act of worship. Even when we can’t see the path, surrender is important.
Usually, when we end a certain time or trial in our lives, we can look back and realize that we never would have guessed his path. And his way was best, so it was good that we trusted in Him.
Surrender as Strength
Surrendering is a powerful act of faith, a declaration that you are ready to stop fighting alone and allow God to fight for you. It’s not about waving a white flag of defeat but raising a banner of hope. As you embark on this journey of surrender, remember that you are not alone—God is with you, guiding each step.
Get Help with the First Step Surrender
We’re here to walk alongside you if you’re ready to take that first step toward recovery.
Our addiction treatment center is founded on the belief that true healing comes from surrendering to God’s love and grace. Reach out to us today, and let’s begin this journey together. Remember, surrender isn’t about giving up; it’s about gaining the life you were always meant to live. Call now: 800-662-2873.
Here are the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), which many other recovery programs have adapted:
- We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
- Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
These steps are designed as a guide to help individuals achieve and maintain sobriety, with a strong emphasis on spiritual growth and personal accountability.
