Through the steps of AA and progress toward that "Psychic Change", I must always remember and practice something I have found very important.
That is, I must look at the world as if I treat the world a certain way vs the way the world treats me.
This is the difference between serenity and anxiety...at least for me. I can either get down on things that happen to me, or I can accept them with gratitude. The difference is profound. I can chose to be miserable or happy with the same circumstance.
Gone are the days of "Poor Me"...Gone are the days of fear, anxiety, anger and envy. If I can keep my side of the street clean, and ALWAYS trust in GOD, I will have the ease and comfort of the soul, and never seek physical comfort outside spirituality.
Thanks AA. We few who have the ability to WANT sobriety, have an open mind and are willing to go to any length understand true physical and emotional sobriety. I often feel sorry for the ones who have so much false pride and ego to dismiss this program, especially the core of it...spirituality. The ones who have so much pride they refuse to connect the dots. I was one of them.
My mission today is to seek GOD's will, and help others understand this program when I can.
I have been having some difficulty connecting with the newcomer. The seeming lack of an open mind and the disease of "Uniqueness" keeps them from that spiritual moment. Oh how I wish that I can download my understanding and connection of these dots to the newcomer. God is challenging me in the form of sponsees. They either end up going out or get in Jail. 2 in Jail, and 4 just disappeared. But I trudge on knowing day by day I take these steps, and even if those I try to help fight it, I know the truth, and practice the principles....one day at a time.....and I stay both physically and emotionally sober.
and a great post it is ... I had one guy in particular that sounds like one of your sponsees ... every couple months, he'd break out in handcuffs and behind bars ... he's a young fella at about 32 y/o ... a 'hot-head' AND a 'body-builder' ... when 'stuff' happened, he'd get on his pity-pot and become 'blind' to what our program offers ... he was able to put a few months together over time but was unable to let the 'spirit' of the program soak in ... unfortunately, it takes those types to strengthen our own program and commitments ...
Love ya man and God Bless, Pappy
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Wow...great post. Thank you. I just joined MIP and you all are helping me connect the dots even more, with the blessings I have gained from AA's 12 steps. Thanks so much!
I can so relate to what you are saying about these newcomers NOT open to learning how to practice the steps. I have had 4 sponsees get up to being ready to begin step four and then they fall away. One relapsed. I got a job as a BHT at a rehab seven months ago. I was so excited to start being able to share with newcomers about AA's program and what it did for the very low bottom I was. Upon my first day of work, I found out it is a rehab that does NOT promote AA, meetings or the 12 steps! Yikes! I left there a month ago to accept a position at a luxury women's sober house. I was so excited I was going to be able to help get one in the program and get what I got there!! The one client we have at the moment wants NOTHING to do with AA, meetings, the twelve steps or a sponsor! Agh!
I am certainly aware that God is training my "patience and tolerance for others" and helping me learn step three even deeper! Ha! And, also detachment, no expectations and acceptance of what is in this moment, and trust in my Higher Power. I just wake up everyday with my usual day's priority - to serve God and help whoever crosses my path however I can and leave the rest to Him. Perhaps He is prompting me to share about this topic for others to hear, as I am on this post and also in my shares at my homegroup.
One thing I have learned from the steps is that God knows more than I do! If it were up to me, I never would have developed alcoholism. Later to find out it was the biggest blessing of my life. AA taught me how to seek God effectively and the benefits from connecting to Him directly. Achieving sobriety, then emotional sobriety and then true freedom from the obsession to drink it only the beginning! :))
Thank you for your post. I got a lot out of it. :)
I heard in a share last week that the definition of "insanity" is joining a 12 step program and not learning the 12 steps. Ha! The steps is the core of the program!
Connie
-- Edited by Connie F on Friday 21st of November 2014 11:37:39 PM
One thing I have learned from the steps is that God knows more than I do! If it were up to me, I never would have developed alcoholism. Later to find out it was the biggest blessing of my life. AA taught me how to seek God effectively and the benefits from connecting to Him directly. Achieving sobriety, then emotional sobriety and then true freedom from the obsession to drink it only the beginning! :))
Connie
Your comment reminds me of an article I saw on a poster at a meeting one time ... which hit me square between the eyes ... :
Why We Were Chosen
God in HIS wisdom has selected this group of men and women to be the purveyors of
His Goodness. In selecting them through whom to bring about this phenomenon, He
went not to the proud, the mighty, the famous or the brilliant. He went to the humble,
to the sick, to the unfortunate - He went to the drunkard, the so-called weakling of the
world.
Well might he have said to us - into your weak and feeble hands I have entrusted a
power beyond estimate. To you has been given that which had been denied the most
learned of your fellows. Not to scientists or statesmen, not to wives or mothers, not
even to my priests or ministers have I given this gift of healing other alcoholics
which I entrust to you.
It must be used unselfishly. It carries with it grave responsibility. No day can be too
long, no demands upon your time can be too urgent, no case too pitiable, no task too
hard, no effort too great. It must be used with tolerance for I have restricted its application
to no race, no creed and no denomination. Personal criticism you must expect,
lack of appreciation will be common, ridicule will be your lot - your motives will be
misjudged. Success will not always attend your efforts in your work with other alcoholics.
You must be prepared for adversity, for what men call adversity is the ladder
you must use to ascend the rungs toward spiritual perfection. And remember, in the
exercise of this power I shall not exact of you beyond your capabilities.
You are not selected because of exceptional talents, and be careful always if success
attends your efforts, not to ascribe to personal superiority, that to which you can lay
claim only by virtue of MY gift.
If I had wanted learned men to accomplish this mission, the power would have been
entrusted to the physician and the scientist. If I had wanted eloquent men, there
would have been many anxious for the assignment, for talk is the easiest used of all
talents with which I have endowed mankind. If I had wanted scholarly men, the
world is filled with better qualified men than you who would have been available.
You were selected because you have been the outcasts of the world, and your long
experience as drunkards has made, or should make you humbly alert to the cries of
distress that come from the lonely hearts of alcoholics everywhere. Keep ever in
mind the admission you have made on the day of your entrance into AA, namely, that
you are powerless and that it was only with your willingness to turn your life and will
into My keeping, that relief came to you
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
