5 Practical Suggestions for Finding a Higher Power in Recovery

One element of early recovery that many newly sober individuals often struggle with is the idea of finding a higher power in recovery. However, we also see people make it harder on themselves than is truly necessary. There is no requirement or time frame for finding a higher power, other than the fact that it can’t be you!

Most people find their higher power by staying open to the idea of something greater than themselves, while simultaneously seeking their own concept of God by talking with others, reading, and taking action in recovery.

In this article, we’ll offer practical suggestions that we often give to folks we meet in our programs. These suggestions should work — even if you’re not sure what you believe yet.

Finding a higher power doesn’t need to be complicated

To some newly sober people, the idea of a higher power can feel confusing, irrelevant, or even off-putting. Maybe you grew up with a rigid idea of God that never quite fit, or maybe you don’t believe in anything spiritual at all.

That’s completely normal. The phrase “higher power” can feel loaded, but in sobriety, it’s not about forcing you to believe anything. It’s about helping you connect with something outside of yourself — something that can support you when your own thinking isn’t enough.

Suggestions to find a higher power in recovery

Finding a higher power in sobriety just takes a bit of willingness to explore what might help you stay sober. You don’t have to define it perfectly to begin; what matters is staying open to something beyond yourself, and making adjustments as you grow:

1. Ask others in recovery about what their higher power is

Possibly the simplest and most effective way to sort out what your higher power is going to be is to speak with others in their sober lives. Ask your sober friends:

• What is their higher power?
• Did they have any hang-ups along the way?
• How long did it take them to figure out what their higher power was?
• Have they changed their concept of God over time?
• Do they use the word God?
• What suggestions do they have for you?

Like the recovery saying goes “I got high, WE got sober.” Asking for help is a core concept, and developing a higher power concept doesn’t need to be a solo endeavor.

Note that we’re not suggesting that you must take someone else’s higher power concept (though this is certainly viable). The idea is that you will likely hear things that will resonate with you, and get your thoughts flowing. The key in these conversations will be to keep an open mind.

2. Redefine what “higher power” means to you

One element of finding spirituality in recovery can be to eliminate any ideas that are holding you back. Do you have a religious upbringing that you resent or that doesn’t resonate with you today? Have you heard other people share about their higher power and felt that their concept would never work for you?

The key with redefining the term “higher power” is in the term itself:

A “higher power” is simply a power that is greater (higher!) than you! It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that: Our best attempt at relying on ourselves failed us, time and time again, so we need to turn to another “power.”

A common analogy is to envision a boxing match. If your drug or alcohol problem was a professional boxer, and you attempted to defeat them in the ring, you’d likely lose. Calling upon a higher power is like stepping out of the ring, and allowing Muhammad Ali to step in and do the work for you!

3. Use the recovery group itself

A very, very common concept of a higher power is to use the group itself, whether it’s an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting or some other type of addiction / substance use support group. In fact, numerous acronyms have been minted in the rooms that centered around this very concept:

• Group Of Drunks
• Group Of Dopefiends
• Good Orderly Direction

For many newcomers, the group is the first higher power that makes sense. Here’s a little secret: if this concept of G.O.D. works for you, then you can use it forever! There’s no bait and switch in recovery — your concept of your higher power is yours to keep, for as long as you like.

The important thing is that it works for you.

4. Explore common conceptions of a higher power and see if any of them resonate with you

You don’t have to create your own idea of a higher power from scratch. Many people find clarity by simply exploring common spiritual beliefs that others hold. This could include traditional ideas of God, but also broader concepts like love, universal energy, the collective wisdom of a group, or the natural order of things.

Here are a few higher power concepts people in recovery commonly identify with:

• A traditional God or spiritual deity
• A doorknob, a pair of shoes, or the ocean!
• Nature or the universe
• Love
• Good Orderly Direction (relying on the wisdom of others)

Take time to read, listen, and reflect. Ask questions. You’re not looking for the “right” answer — just something that feels meaningful enough to help you stay sober and move forward. If something resonates, lean into it. If it doesn’t, keep looking. The process itself is part of your recovery.

5. Move your butt and your thoughts will follow

If you’re around the rooms for longer than a few weeks, you’ll hear the phrase “move your butt and your thoughts will follow” (sometimes with more colorful language!).

What do we mean by this? The phrase means:

• We can’t think our way into the right way of living (what we attempted to do in the past)
• but we can LIVE our way into the right way of thinking.

In other words, we take action, and then our attitudes and emotions follow suit (though not always on our desired timeline).

If you’re struggling with the higher power concept, you don’t have to wait for it to make perfect sense before you start taking spiritual action. In fact, many people find that belief in a higher power begins to take shape after they take action.

So what can you do?

• Make every effort to live in the moment (take it one day at a time)
• Experiment with prayer and meditation
• Show up to meetings
• Be of service to others
• Share honestly with your sponsor, friends, and home group on a daily basis

Many folks who struggled with the higher power concept met their God accidentally while taking action in other areas. Take action in your recovery and stay sober no matter what — you’d be surprised what a difference it makes in eliminating these hang-ups over time!

Note: Your higher power is ALWAYS subject to change

One of the beautiful things about twelve step programs is that everything you do is subject to change — your home group, your sponsor, your friends, and (you guessed it) your higher power. Recovery from addiction and substance use is a long-term proposition, and we don’t live in a world of absolutes.

What you believe today might look different six months from now — and that’s completely fine. Many people in recovery find that their understanding of a higher power evolves over time. What starts as a vague concept or borrowed idea often becomes something deeply personal and meaningful. You don’t have to lock into one belief system. You just need to stay willing to grow.