I can appreciate the intent behind prayer, and the quote you provided, Zenlifter, does address it as I understand it. However, I gave up prayer a long time ago, because in doing so the only one I'm really addressing is myself (or so goes my understanding anyway.) I suppose this gets to the heart of why the NA program fails to reach me. Step 2 makes entirely no sense to me.
Biminblue, your opening line reminds me of a realization I've recently had, that hopelessness is just a convenient excuse to keep using. Or, keeping the idea of using open. I'm not actively using right now but that doesn't mean I'm not always thinking about it. As soon as I attempt to do something about that I'm even more compelled to use. So I back off. Clever technique employed by my addiction isn't it. A protective measure on its part to keep me from taking action. And if I do take action then it gets really serious.
I'm thinking that the best plan of action is to just stay away from it for awhile. Realize I don't really need it. And then take action. But, I've tried that before, and it's just sitting there waiting for me to come back.
This is a risky place I'm in right now, knowing how my thinking and actions tend to work. We've been around and around about this for decades now. Who's in control here.