There are seasons in life that echo ancient stories—times when we walk out of darkness into light, bondage into freedom, despair into hope. For many in recovery, this path feels both deeply personal and powerfully universal. As spring approaches and spiritual calendars bring us into the heart of Passover and Easter, these sacred stories resonate with a journey many of us know firsthand: the long road from addiction to recovery.
🔹 Passover: Freedom from Slavery
The story of Passover tells how the children of Israel were delivered from slavery in Egypt. After years of oppression, God sent Moses to lead them out. But before freedom came, there was a final, devastating night: the firstborn in Egypt died, and the Israelites were spared by the blood of the lamb on their doorposts.
This wasn't just a night of survival. It was a turning point. The people of God were about to walk away from their past, from the chains that had defined them, and into a wilderness where transformation would begin.
Addiction is its own Egypt—a place of slavery to substances, fears, or destructive habits. Many in AA know what it’s like to live in that kind of bondage. But like the Israelites, we’re invited to leave that place behind—not by our own strength, but by grace and surrender.
🔹 Easter: Sacrifice and Rebirth
Where Passover speaks of deliverance, Easter brings us into the mystery of sacrifice and resurrection. Jesus gave His life willingly, not only to atone for sin, but to break the power of death itself. His resurrection declares that new life is possible.
Recovery echoes this truth: something must die for something new to be born. In AA, we surrender our ego, our pride, and our self-will. Step Three says it plainly: “We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”
That decision is a kind of death—and also a birth. As Jesus rose on Easter morning, so we too can rise—into new life, new hope, new freedom.
🔹 AA: The Exodus Within
The Twelve Steps of AA are a spiritual roadmap, not unlike the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness. Each step helps us leave behind the old patterns and enter into something holy and healing.
Let’s map a few parallels:
| Passover/Easter Theme | AA Step | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Leaving Egypt | Step 1: “We admitted we were powerless…” | Acknowledging our slavery and need for help |
| The Lamb's blood covers | Step 3: Surrender to a Higher Power | Trusting in a power greater than ourselves |
| Wandering the desert | Steps 4–9 (Inventory, confession, amends) | A refining season of truth, humility, and healing |
| Entering the Promised Land | Step 12: “Having had a spiritual awakening…” | A life of service, freedom, and purpose |
🔹 A Personal Journey of Freedom
If you're in recovery, or walking through a spiritual wilderness of your own, the seasons of Passover and Easter invite you to reflect:
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What chains are holding you?
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What needs to be surrendered?
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Where are you being called to trust in something greater?
Recovery is not a quick fix—it’s a daily exodus, a daily resurrection. But like the Israelites, we are not walking alone. Like the first Easter morning, hope rises with each step forward.
🔹 Closing Thoughts
In this sacred season, may we all be reminded that freedom is possible. That transformation is real. That just as God delivered a nation and raised His Son from the grave, He can restore our lives too—one day, one step, one miracle at a time.
“We are not a glum lot.” — Big Book of AA
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” — Galatians 5:1
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