The Pride Cycle of Recovery and Grace

 Dear Friend,

In our journey of recovery, we often rediscover truths that the scriptures have long taught — that our spiritual life moves in cycles. We rise, we stumble, we learn, and by grace, we are restored. The Book of Mormon calls this pattern the pride cycle, but in recovery, we might call it the awakening of dependence upon God.

1. Prosperity — Spiritual Growth and Gratitude (Alma 50:18–20)

When we live in gratitude — faithful, prayerful, and service-minded — life flourishes. Recovery deepens, relationships heal, and we feel God’s peace. Yet even here, we must stay alert: blessings are safest when they lead us to gratitude, not complacency. “Thank You, God, for grace undeserved. Keep me mindful that all I have comes from You.”

2. Pride — Forgetting Dependence on God (Helaman 12:1–3)

Pride is not always loud or arrogant. Sometimes it sounds like, 'I’m fine now; I don’t need a meeting today.' But pride separates us from the very Source of recovery. It whispers that we are self-sufficient — when in truth, recovery begins and ends with surrender.

3. Destruction — Inner Turmoil and Separation (Alma 32:13)

When self-will takes over, we lose our serenity. We feel the old restlessness and fear return. It isn’t punishment — it’s awakening. This moment of inner storm reminds us that peace cannot be built on pride. The good news: even here, the Spirit waits patiently for our return.

4. Humility & Repentance — Grace Restored (Ether 12:27)

Every time we turn back to God, He receives us — not with reproach, but with renewal. In AA, this is the spirit of Steps 7 and 11: humility, prayer, and a daily seeking of conscious contact. Through confession, service, and stillness, we realign with grace. The light returns, and the cycle becomes a spiral — upward, deeper, closer to Christ.

Reflection and Challenge

When you find yourself somewhere in this cycle, pause and ask:
- Am I living in gratitude or self-reliance?
- What blessings have I forgotten to give thanks for today?
- What step of humility can I take right now to restore peace?

The beauty of recovery is that the cycle never ends in despair. Each return to humility leads us higher — from pride to peace, from suffering to surrender, and from self to God.

Closing Thought

“Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less.” — C.S. Lewis

In this way, the Pride Cycle becomes not a warning of doom, but a map of grace — a reminder that every fall is a call to rise again, and every rising begins in surrender.

Note on the 'Pride Cycle':

The pattern of prosperity, pride, suffering, humility, and renewal appears repeatedly throughout the Book of Mormon, especially in the books of Alma, Helaman, and Ether. However, the term 'Pride Cycle' and its circular illustration come from modern missionary materials such as Preach My Gospel and the Missionary Handbook, where this recurring spiritual lesson is summarized for teaching and personal reflection.

Personal Reflection Notes: