7 Days With No Prayer Makes One Weak Program

“7 days without prayer makes one weak (week) program” is a simple play on words that is passed around the 12 step community. This phrase is a somewhat humorous albeit corny way of reminding fellow members of the 12 step groups that prayer is an important part of their recovery. Many new members have asked “what if I am not a religious person?” or “why is prayer important?”. These are questions about which entire blogs could be written but we will attempt to answer them both briefly here.

Why Is Prayer Important

Prayer is one of the main pillars of a healthy 12 step recovery program. It has many benefits including providing a source of hope, faith, strength, and guidance for many members of Alcoholics Anonymous and or Narcotics Anonymous. Another less spiritual and more practical benefit of prayer is that praying upon awakening and before going to bed can help the individual in recovery to form a new and healthy habit. This aids in the process of retraining the brain being that addiction and alcoholism are diseases that involve habitual and almost ritualistic self-destructive behavior. A major part of recovery is unlearning unhealthy habits and replacing them with healthier ones.

What If I Am Not A Religious Person

Countless new members of 12 step fellowships around the world have found themselves questioning if they belong due to what they believe are religious undertones in the literature. We find it important and necessary to assure our readers that while the 12 step programs are certainly spiritual, they are by no means religious. AA and NA have members of all faiths and denominations including atheists and agnostics. In fact, Alcoholics Anonymous dedicates an entire chapter in its book specifically to address atheists and agnostics to assure them they can recover in Alcoholics Anonymous. The only requirement for membership in AA is a desire to stop drinking or a desire to stop using for NA. We think that most everyone who keeps an open mind will find that Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous do not conflict with their religious ideologies or lack thereof.

Sobriety Prayers for Each Day of the Week

Many of us in recovery do not have any formal experience with prayer. In an attempt to help you or your loved one get started with prayer we will include 7 prayers, one for each day of the week.

Monday Prayer

Thank You for letting me lean on You. Fill my heart with Your healing love and the power of Your strength so that I may live the life You planned for me.

Tuesday Prayer

Help me turn my spirit towards You so that I can find the strength to overcome my problems. Forgive my doubts and fears, and fill me with Your love and strength.

Wednesday Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

Thursday Prayer

Thank you for keeping me sober another day. I pray only for the knowledge of your will for me, and the power to carry that out. I pray that you keep me sober again tomorrow.

Friday Prayer

May my heart be gentle

My mind still and open

My spirit unshackled

My awareness keen

My conscience clear

My nature giving

May I be a healing energy

May I be of benefit to all

May my life enrich others

May I know what matters

And live in harmony with nature

Saturday Prayer

Please untie the nots

that are in my mind, my heart, and my life.

Remove the have nots, the can nots, and the do knots that I have in my mind.

Erase the will nots, may nots, might nots that may find a home in my heart.

Release me from the could nots, would nots, and should nots that obstruct my life.

And most of all,

I ask that you remove from my mind, my heart, and my life

all of the ‘am nots’

that I have allowed to hold me back

especially the thought

that I am not good enough

Sunday prayer

Make me an instrument of Thy peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

For a list of more prayers for recovery check out our repository of the best prayers in sobriety.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse of any kind, we are here to help. Please call us at 855-698-3554 or directly at 201-663-2914 for a confidential consultation with one of our treatment specialists. If you prefer to communicate with us via email please click here or email us at outreach@harborwellnesscenter.org