The 12 Gifts of Life Recovery

Recovery isn’t just about making the courageous choice to give up an addiction or dependency. It’s a journey toward health, wholeness, and your absolute best self. Along the way, you’ll receive something remarkable: gifts from God to honor your life-enriching choices and encourage you. There are 12 Gifts of Life Recovery that God will give you as you grow.

1. The Gift of Hope
   The gift of hope is the motivation for continuing on the same track when something is painful and difficult. Under God’s strength, we experience the transforming power that will give us the hope to carry us to the end.
2. The Gift of Power
   The gift of power is that we now have God’s power at work in us and we are stronger. God will empower us to do things we cannot do on our own. As a result, our relapses are less frequent or are nonexistent.
3. The Gift of Character
   The gift of character is a gift that God gives us as we humbly ask for His help. It is not by our own strength or power that we grow and mature; it is by the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. The Gift of Clarity
   The gift of clarity is seeing things clearly and allowing the truth to come into focus. In other words, it is the absence of denial; instead, there is transparency—even purity—in how we see and present ourselves.
5. The Gift of Security
   The gift of security is rooted in the fact that God is on our side. To be alive is to always encounter trials and problems; when we are tempted, God gives a way out so that we can endure.
6. The Gift of Abundance
   The gift of abundance is what allows us to live a life filled with new and fulfilling opportunities that we may never have dreamed of or thought possible. While a scarcity mindset makes us afraid, an abundance mindset frees us to live a life of purpose.
7. The Gift of Wisdom
   The gift of wisdom is a combination of the depth of our relationship with God and our ability to bring our experiences into relationship with Him. We gain the gift of wisdom when we transfer our experiences, knowledge, and good judgment into godly actions.
8. The Gift of Self-Control
   The gift of self-control is when we desire to accomplish God’s will in our lives and surrender to the Holy Spirit. As we seek to improve our conscious awareness of God through prayer and meditation, the gift of self-control changes everything in our lives.
9. The Gift of Courage
   The gift of courage is the ability to face and solve our problems rather than avoiding them or hoping they will get better on their own. This gift replaces our old cowardice with boldness, strength, and initiative.
10. The Gift of Happiness
    The gift of happiness is the fruit that is produced when we live godly lives and pursue a godly path. After all, the happiest people in the world are those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ.
11. The Gift of Serenity
    The gift of serenity is acknowledging that there are things in our lives that we cannot change. Like the “Serenity Prayer,” we must pray, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.”
12. The Gift of Peace
    The gift of peace is one of the most important gifts of Life Recovery because God has promised us peace. Just before His arrest, Jesus told His disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27, NLT).

Adapted from the book, The 12 Gifts of Life Recovery, by Steve Arterburn and Dr. Dave Stoop.