Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭16‬

Recovery doesn’t work well in a vacuum. It’s designed to be passed on and the real benefits only come once we’ve tried to carry our experience to the next person.

There’s nothing novel here. It’s the same as when you’re learning a new skill: the best way to fully absorb the information is to teach it to someone else.

It’s just a lot more important in recovery since our very lives hang in the balance. Sure, we can get by without being model selfless examples of paying it forward, but for how long? And to what degree? What will we miss by not diving in fully?

At what point will our own sobriety become simply an attribute rather than a way of life? Will we cheapen the gift by not helping others find it?

If we are following a twelve step program, it’s fairly cut and dry. Step twelve is designed specifically for the nurturing of our own sobriety and spiritual walk by passing on our experience to others.

We try to help them, and in so doing, we fortify our own sobriety as well.

Often, the people I’ve tried to help do not seem to progress. They’ll come around a while, curious about what it would take to change or hurting enough to show up to a meeting. But then they’re gone.

I’m content to be a planter. God does the heavy lifting anyway. I don’t have access to hearts. But I am able to plant seeds of hope from my own experience when possible.

God, water the seeds I plant and give me the words to sow them well.