PRAYING FOR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN RECOVERY and WORKSHEET (Post 177)
October 6, 2025
Note: This GRM Blog Post was written for June 2025. Due to summer illness, it was postponed. More posts are forthcoming!
Look into your own selves and find the spark of truth that God has put in every heart and that only you can kindle to a flame.
- Socrates
… and what might be those spark[s] of truth?
For starters, I thought immediately of what have been termed the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. Protestant Denominations, generally, list nine attributes: Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self Control.
Tenets of Faith for Catholics include twelve Fruits: Charity (Love), Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness (Benignity), Goodness, Long Suffering (Longanimity), Mildness (Gentleness), Faith, Modesty, Self Control (Continency), and Chastity.
In addition, I offer the following: Courage in Faith, Steadfastness, Honesty, and the Strengthening of One’s Belief and Trust in Divine Help. To be sure, these traits are most probably indwelling companions to some or any of the above!
Within previous GRM Blog Posts, are “Worksheets in Recovery” that contain a variety of help.** (See end of the following Worksheet to find titles and Post # of other GRM BLOG Worksheets.) They are ready-to-individualize for persons working toward independence from addiction. It’s been a while since a new one has been added; and this month’s Post 179 utilizes the above Fruits as purposeful goals OF and FOR recovery.
WORKSHEET: PRAYING FOR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Let’s start off with a few statements that describe general understandings about recovery for the entire (Body/ Mind/ Soul) individual seeking recovery from addictive disorders. RECOVERY can be viewed in 3 aspects: physical recovery, mental/emotional recovery, and spiritual recovery. When these WORK TOGETHER, recovery takes a sense of completeness.
HOW DOES THIS HELP?
The above-mentioned Fruits of the Spirit can serve as both GOALPOSTS and subsequent GUIDES in the quest for and journey to healing.
Recovery is a PROCESS, within which there will be victories and failures. LESSONS LEARNED and REGARDED are essential – moreover, they are TO-BE-RESPECTED PARTS of this ongoing process.
Then too, recovery involves THE INDIVIDUAL AND SURROUNDING OTHERS. Who then are these surrounding others? All who, somehow, affect the recovering individual’s journey of healing are included. That could be countless persons, known and unknown! Starting off, are those who directly encounter the recoveree. As healing continues, an awareness develops that utilizing the Fruits of the Spirit brings many others to mind. Even the nameless stranger on the street could be included within the healing journey!
Finally, reading STEPS # 1, 2, and 3 of any 12 STEP program affirms that, indeed, the individual does need help AND that Divine Help is an invaluable part of the recovery process.
FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT Questions and Thoughts
** List in a vertical line 9 – 12 Fruits of the Spirit (your choice)
Define each “Fruit”: write out the definitions – either in your own words or dictionary definitions. Add and underline synonyms. Leave space for additional notes later.
Utilizing each Fruit as a goal, write your weaknesses AND your strengths in attaining this Fruit as an accomplice in your recovery process.
PRAY FOR DIVINE HELP IN WORKING TOWARD THIS GOAL. INCLUDE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHY YOU NEED A PARTICULAR FRUIT, KEEPING IN MIND BOTH YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES.
WORK ON ONE GOAL at first. In time, add a new goal. Keep an eye on how working on one goal can benefit your working on another Fruit! Write observations on this.
***Essentially, you are praying for YOU to experience SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.
***As you continue through this praying-process, pray for OTHERS to experience SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.
Take your time! ENJOY the Fruits as they develop within your recovery process. Truly, the Fruits of the Spirit will serve as inward signs while you progress to wellness … AND surrounding others will benefit within their own journeys of healing!
OTHER GRM BLOG WORKSHEETS
** POST 27: Accountability Worksheet, Individual Checklist, Listing of Words/Expressions of Encouragement
** POST 31: Facing Recovery from the Beginning
** POST 33: Say NO to Gambling and Ready Comebacks
** POST 74: The End of Relapse? RESOURCE: Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon: Questions about Maintenance in Recovery
Perhaps, some folks might look over this month’s Post and think that first praying for spiritual blessings is like putting the cart before the horse … that those would come as a result of progress in therapy/group meetings/ medicinal help. For sure, I do agree that therapy, etc., is essential under the care of qualified therapists/counselors and medical professionals. At the same time, I truly believe that spiritual care – when worked together with treatment professionals – will meaningfully and personally enhance the journey throughout recovery.
Blessings,
Rev. Janet Jacobs, CCGSO
Founding Director
Gambling Recovery Ministries
855-926-0761
For more information on the IPGGC Clergy/Lay Minister Certification visit:
www.IPGGC.org NOTE: new web address!
International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization
For more information on gambling disorder and recovery issues, go to:
www.indianaproblemgambling.org
www.masscompulsivegambling.org