Who have we harmed in our lives? Where should I look to create such a list? How do I know if I really harmed others?
These, among many other questions, begin to form within our minds as we take a look at this step. The invitation of Step 8 is to acknowledge not just to God, to myself and to another the exact nature of our wrongs, Step 8 now invites us to begin the necessary journey toward wholeness. In order to find wholeness, one must first go looking into the closets of our past and reconciling (making right) those things that are wrong, the moments that we harmed others, and free the skeletons that still appear to you- often at weird times!
And so we go about making a list. Our list is really an extension of the list that began in Step 4. Yet now we have grown past justifying our behavior and what others have done to us and we are ready for God's Spirit to do the deep working of changing us.
Grab a pen and some paper...
In the next 10 minutes, write down every personal relationship you have; i.e.- mother, father, wife, husband, child(ren), friends from high school, etc.
After each name, try to think through your relationship and ask yourself- "What part have I played in any of the problems with this person?" Write your thoughts down next to their name.
Then, when the list is compiled, begin to pray for willingness to go to that person to apologize and ask for forgiveness. There may be one or two people who you have a strong resistance against and you are thinking- "No Way!" Pray...pray today and all the days ahead. God will give a willing spirit.
Remember this quote yesterday-
"God will show you the best way, the best place, the best time and the best words. Wait and pray for them all." Breathing Under Water
And to drum up a bit of conversation...why is it hard to acknowledge our mistakes, hurts, disappointments that we cause in relationships? In essence, why is it hard to ask for forgiveness from another for your actions?
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