The 8 Principles of Celebrate Recovery

How The 8 Principles and 12 Steps Work Together in Celebrate Recovery

Do you want to learn more about the 8 principles of Celebrate Recovery? This popular, Christ-centered recovery program has helped many people, and may be particularly well-suited to those who would like to approach their recovery within the context of their greater faith.

If that sounds like a good fit for you personally, this page will highlight the recovery principles that have made this program so successful.

At South Shores Recovery, we offer a wide range of services for everyone who comes to us for treatment, including faith-based support for clients who prioritize daily time with God.

To learn more about our programs and how we can integrate Celebrate Recovery meetings and concepts into the recovery process, take a moment while reading to give us a confidential call.

What is Celebrate Recovery?

Celebrate Recovery, or CR, is a Christ-centered recovery program. Where many other recovery programs focus purely on behavior modification or peer support, CR directly integrates biblical principles into the model, providing a spiritual foundation that comes along with practical guidance for the recovery process.

One of the calling cards of this program is its flexibility. Anyone who feels they are spiritually poor and is struggling with addiction, codependency, anger, eating disorders, or virtually any other struggles can find help here.

How Do the 8 Principles of Celebrate Recovery Work?

The core of this program is the eight recovery principles that work together to create a roadmap for transformation. The principles are based on fundamental biblical truths, and if you follow them closely, they will help you examine your past, take responsibility for your actions, and embrace true spiritual growth.

#1 – Realize I’m Not God

This first principle mirrors the first step of a traditional 12-step program. It emphasizes surrendering power and acknowledging that trying to control everything in your life has not worked to this point.

Accepting that you are powerless to control everything can lead to meaningful self-examination and progress against addiction.

#2 – Earnestly Believe That God Exists

The second principle works closely with the first. It asks that you truly believe that God exists and that he will offer forgiveness to all who choose to follow. Diving into regular bible reading can help with this principle, as consistent self examination bible reading helps to see how God’s love can heal what is wrong in your life.

#3 – Consciously Choose to Commit to Christ’s Care

Once a true, unshakable belief in God is in place, the next step is to completely commit to Christ’s care and control in your life. This again speaks to the idea of surrender and setting ego to the side in the recovery process.

#4 – Openly Examine and Confess My Faults

It can be hard to come face-to-face with your faults, but that is exactly what God requires when you turn yourself entirely over to Christ. At this time, you can make amends for harm in life and humbly ask God to forgive you and make you new again.

#5 – Voluntarily Submit to Any and All Changes God Wants to Make

Humility and the willingness to change are at the heart of this principle. It’s about accepting that we all have character defects and we all do the wrong thing in life at some point. Setting aside any ego and turning to God for self-examination and to accept the changes he wants you to make is another key part of CR.

#6 – Evaluate All My Relationships

Not all relationships are healthy. Sometimes, the best thing for everyone is to let a relationship go and move on. Or, if possible, to address the issues in a relationship so it can be repaired and become a positive force for everyone. Through bible reading and prayer, along with careful thought and reflection, harmful relationships can gradually be removed and replaced.

#7 – Reserve a Daily Time with God

Few people in the modern world take time for God each day. CR includes this point as one of the Eight Principles because it is such an important opportunity to allow God to bring this good news of forgiveness and hope into your life. When it feels like life is unmanageable, making God a priority can be a powerful step.

#8 – Yield Myself to God

This final principle reflects a common theme of turning yourself over to a higher power. This can mean not only finding recovery for yourself, but also helping others who face similar challenges.

How Do the Principles Work With the 12 Steps?

You don’t need to think of these principles as an alternative to the 12 steps that are commonly used in Alcoholics Anonymous. In fact, they work together perfectly. Whether it’s alcohol, drug, or sexual addiction, these frameworks can help anyone in any situation steer their life back in the right direction.

We’ve already seen above how the themes within these two approaches to recovery pair nicely with one another, and overlap in many cases. The goal is to get all our affairs in order, focus on turning over control to a higher power, and build a life that is suitable for long-term sobriety.

For many people, going through the 12 steps while also attending some CR meetings and focusing on the eight recovery principles is a great pairing. A recovery based on God gives you the opportunity to understand biblical comparisons between yourself and figures from Jesus’ time on earth, while also encouraging you to spread the good news to others.

What Are the Benefits of Integrating Celebrate Recovery into Addiction Treatment and Recovery?

Many benefits are available when you decide to integrate CR into your treatment process. You gain the power to overcome addiction by giving up power and admitting you have been hurt by addiction and need the Lord on your side to turn your life in a new direction. With CR, you will be focusing on Christ, perhaps for the first time, or maybe for the first time in years.

You’ll also be able to attend meetings that foster a sense of community and accountability. These meetings work both ways, as you get to enjoy the support of others while also offering them support when it is needed most.

There will gradually be more and more emotional and spiritual healing observed in your life, and you’ll be better able to cope with emotional triggers that pop up. Over time, you’ll feel empowered in your faith, and a new sense of purpose will move into your life that hasn’t been present for years.

Create a Brighter Future (Today) With Our Support at South Shores

South Shores Recovery is not strictly a faith-based program, but we are founded by a praciticing pastor and are proud to offer support in this area for those who want to strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ and the Scriptures during this time of healing.

If your greatest desire is to have a better connection with God while leaving substance abuse of all kinds in the past, you’ll find a home here at South Shores.

It all starts with a phone call. Reach out to us now to speak with a member of our experienced team and learn more about our programs. We know it can be hard to take that first step and reach out for help, but doing so today will be one of the best choices you’ve ever made.

We look forward to hearing from you, so please reach out confidentially for support now.