In today's 24 hour Book, it speaks to the Two things that give us a full abundant life.
Faith and Obedience.
I do feel solid in my Sense of Faith today, but the Obedience, the daily practice of living with gratitude, humility, honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love.
I believe they go hand in hand, but in my life, I am falling short of some of the attributes of Obedience. Humility and purity of heart, and being completely unselfish. All the time, everyday? I am not there.
I believe also, that when we struggle, we get there, so the struggle is the Lesson.
An old buddist saying "When the Student is Ready, the Lesson will Appear."
It seems that there are years in Recovery when living a Sober life feels good, peaceful and somewhat happy, then there are times when there is a sense of the absense of these things.
Sobriety, is a Gift, and I do cherish that Gift, and will continue doing this work, because I feel it is just what is in Front of me to do.
Sobriety first in everything, then doing the work to improve it, all the time, is also a Gift. So will go to Prayer, asking God to help with these character defects, that are blocking off a sense of Complete Obedience to His Will. With His Help, I do believe this will change.
Progress, and not perfection,,,, and,,, recovery is a lifetime process,,,, and,,, more will be revealed.
I think sometimes it is actually another step in recovery to come to the realizations that you just shared. I was doing my Steps 6 and 7 today too.
I was at a meeting last night, and I behaved in a way that is a pattern for me since I was very young,, and I was thinking about it this morning,, and decided I really want to grow past that. It is something I actually have been working on for a long time, but when I get in the middle of a situation it is automatic for me and about impossible for me to change that, cuz it just seems so crucial and urgent at the moment. I cannot change it on my own, so time to bring that one to God and ask for grace to grow up to the next level.
the word 'obedience' is touchy for me,, cuz my father was soooo controlling and demanded complete, blind obedience. With God now,,, I really want to do His will cuz I recognize it as loving and wise and really best for all. In theory, at least, eh?
love in recovery,
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
Well you hit the nail on the head, "Touchy about the word Obedience" Same problem, blind obedience was required in Family of Origin stuff. NO Wonder I am having this Problem.
Thanks for bringing it to the surface. I knew when I was reading it, I had a little "resistance" to the word, but felt is was coming from a character defect, when it actually is, but now I have the origin. And doing just the same, asking God to show me the Difference in the two.
