A practitioner writes: “I’d like to share with you another version of the protection prayer which I wrote specifically for the AA recovery crowd—Source Creator, partner with me in my life each and every day to keep me safe, to guide, heal, support, and protect against all who oppose my will to be free from all addictions and negative influences. Help me resist the grip and temptation of self destructive substances and behavior and heal my emotional pain that has drawn me to them. Please assist me to maintain a long-lasting sobriety and restore my spiritual freedom and connection with you, while in full awareness of our partnership in all I do each and every day.” Will this be an effective prayer?

This is an effective prayer for what you seek in helping those struggling with this great difficulty of addiction. Such people need considerable support and assistance because they are trying to overcome their own inclinations and long-standing habits that are highly reinforcing and have built-in self-punishment if they attempt to escape the grip of these addictions. This is one of the most demanding of challenges people can face. They very much need the support of others to speak on their behalf and to arrange the energetics of things so the would-be helpers have a clear directive to address what is needed in a way that is highest and best to begin to empower these hapless individuals in ways that are effective to give them the inner strength and resolve to overcome their self-limitation and areas of weakness. That is the ultimate answer in solving the problem, to strengthen the victim from within sufficiently, so they can escape by meeting and matching their own inner intention for betterment. They will get divine support to achieve this all along the way if it is requested, and it can truly make the difference between success and failure.