Every man and woman who has joined A.A. and intends to stick has, without realizing it, made a beginning on Step Three. Isn’t it true that in all matters touching upon alcohol, each of them has decided to turn his or her life over to the care, protection, and guidance of Alcoholics Anonymous? . . . Any willing newcomer feels sure A.A. is the only safe harbor for the foundering vessel he has become. Now if this is not turning one’s will and life over to a newfound Providence, then what is it? TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 35
Submission to God was the first step to my recovery. I believe our Fellowship seeks a spirituality open to a new kinship with God. As I exert myself to follow the path of the Steps, I sense a freedom that gives me the ability to think for myself. My addiction confined me without any release and hindered my ability to be released from my self-confinement, but A.A. assures me of a way to go forward. Mutual sharing, concern and caring for others is our natural gift to each other and mine is strengthened as my attitude toward God changes. I learn to submit to God’s will in my life, to have self-respect, and to keep both of these attitudes by giving away what I receive.
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Many changes happened as I opened myself to God and AA. One major change (other than not drinking) was the way I related to the God of my understanding. For more years than I care to count I had considered myself religious and understood God, but now I know God – not about god but knowledge based on what God has done for me and what I trust god will do for me as I turn over the driving to g/God.
That knowledge is a sense of connectedness with this world and the universe of which we are part. I have also the knowledge that relapse will take that away and I will be back to being a miserable person who doesn’t belong and is fear filled.
Newcomers remind me of the difficult path (of sweat and tears) each must take to sobriety.
It is said (I don’t know) that 90% of those who become sober, relapse. But how many of those with one relapse or multiple relapses finally see the light? I’m looking for statistics! Thanks – Bob
The statistics for recovery from alcoholism are heartbreaking and often engender more of a sense of hopelessness than encouragement. I prefer to focus on the gratitude that one day at a time I have the gift of recovery only to the extent that I am willing to give it away and get out of the way of Providence. The only “statistics” my sponsor allows me to focus on today is “Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path” and “Having had a spiritual awakening as THE result of these steps”.
The “Pain Box”
This morning I’ll make the change to stick with the winners. Many times my intentions to stay sober were good but didn’t fully reconize the warning signs ahead of me. Back in the day, I always used the phone to call family or friends only to escape from what I really felt inside. It was a genuine concern although my focus wasn’t on taking my own inventory.
The best meetings I find today in recovery are the ones that talk about the solution rather than the troubles of alcoholism. War stories absolutely never got anyone nowhere. God is omnipotent all the time.