May 13

“But the steps are more than a series of exercises. They provide basic principles for living. Most of us find opportunities on a daily basis to apply one or more of the steps to some challenge in our life.”

Sex Addicts Anonymous, page 22

Walking up a steep hill to his new home, a friend of mine was disappointed to find himself gasping, his leg muscles burning, while his housemate scurried up the hill, seemingly without effort.

“This hill will always be steep,” his friend said, “but you will get stronger.”

This is a great metaphor for my recovery. Being sexually sober doesn’t mean my life will always be smooth and fun. However, I have access to a Power greater than me that helps me through difficult moments and shows me how to respond to challenges in new and healthy ways. I will still have problems, the hill may still be steep, but living life according to spiritual principles transforms my difficulties into strength-training exercises and opportunities for discovery.

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God, help me see my stumbling blocks as stepping stones, as the opportunities that they are.