“To pity distress is
but human; to relieve
it is Godlike.”
– Horace Mann (1796 – 1859) U.S.,
education reformer for public schools
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How would you describe the pain from which you seek relief, lately?
OR
What can we do when we feel pain and can’t use old ways to feel better anymore?
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Horace Mann – the Father of U.S. Education (10:29)
Stress [R]elief Reiki Mindfulness Meditation (10:41)
Today’s SFZ explores the emotional and spiritual turning point described in Step Three of 12-step recovery programs. Step Three invites people to surrender their will to a Power greater than themselves. This is a key action step, not just a belief. As Carl Jung emphasized, true transformation comes from a connection to something greater than ego. Jung believed addiction reflects a spiritual thirst. Step Three addresses that thirst directly.
Addiction leaves a void. When drugs or destructive behaviors stop, the pain often feels unbearable. According to Gabor Maté, people use substances not to feel high, but to escape pain. Step Three helps redirect that need for relief toward spiritual connection.
The quote from The Big Book shows this shift. Instead of seeking comfort from substances, people begin to seek comfort in a higher Power. This change takes courage. Brené Brown, a researcher on vulnerability, says that opening ourselves to help is the beginning of strength. The Third Step Prayer reflects this humility and hope. It asks for strength not just for personal peace, but to help others.
Horace Mann’s quote reminds us that offering help is divine. When people begin living in service, they shift from survival to purpose. Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, wrote that meaning, not comfort, is what saves lives. Step Three marks the point when recovery begins to offer meaning beyond addiction.
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