We asked ourselves why we had them [fears]. Wasn’t it because self-reliance failed us? ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.68
All of my character defects separate me from God’s will. When I ignore my association with Him I face the world and my alcoholism alone and must depend on self-reliance. I have never found security and happiness through self-will and the only result is a life of fear and discontent. God provides the path back to Him and to His gift of security and comfort. First, however, I must be willing to acknowledge my fears and understand their source and power over me. I frequently ask God to help me understand how I separate myself from Him.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I always try to keep in my head that when I’m agitated or doubtful (both fear based) I should take pause and ask. And it frequently falls back out of my head again! Leaving me to rely on myself, which never works. But I pray every day for God to remind me. Pause. Ask. Everything else will just have to wait.
Self-reliance. What a deceptive notion. The results of self-reliance are people mentally and emotionally crippled. Self-reliance can’t feed you or give you what life needs. Self-reliance puts us at death’s doorstep.
I was self reliant, especially when I drank. Trying to be self reliant when sober is our insanity. It’s more helpful to say that no person is an island.
Pretending that we are self-reliant makes it really hard (Impossible) to let go and let god (the power greater than oursleves).
It goes against all that I learned and believe to surrender, to grovel, to give up. I will continue to protest turning my fears, hurts, frustrations, etc. to the god of my understanding – until I am more mentally sober!
Come as a little child! I want to laugh but instead I cry – help me god.
Once I can give my life away, god will restore my life in abundance – joyous and free.
I’m working on my own advice. Bobe
In search of identity – to be on not to be!
Lately I have had some major financial problems and I have really been caught in the fears that come with that. I have put God to the side as I try and make it thru this mess I’ve made for myself. This reading reminds me that I cannot do this on my own and also be free from these fears that stem from that. Great website here.
I looked like a rasin in a bowl of milk
this is not a test!! I won’t drink the “kool aid” of self will anymore. Due to alcoholism and all my other “isms”, this way had conditioned me into making bad desicions as well as bad habits. Once the obessesion and complusion to use was lifted, I needed to detox from my old lifestlye. I then understood a higher power gave me freedom from those rituals of using. I realize today, I’m living in the golden years. Recovery is absolutely phenomenal when you work for it rather than milk it.