borrowing a HIGHER POWER???
Posted: Mon, Feb 14, 2005 05:37:26 AM
one of the most disturbing ’clichés’ that i have heard thrown around the rooms is, ’Don’t have a Higher Power? Borrow mine!’ although until recently i could not say why this bothered me, only that it did. this morning’s reading zeroed in on my feelings and supported that conclusion.
i know that had i used my sponsor’s HIGHER POWER when i started the process of discovering my spirituality i would have kept it whether it worked for me or not. i was so desperate to fit in and be accepted that i would not have seen fit to grow in any direction. and believe me when i got here all i wanted to do was fit in somewhere! i am grateful today that my first sponsor was wise enough and patient enough with me in those early days to force me to find something that worked for me. although the process of discovering GOD was not easy nor without missteps, the fact is that i did find a HIGHER POWER that works for me and have the freedom to allow my understanding of that concept to morph and change as needed throughout the my journey.
recently one of the men i am sponsoring has decided that his concept was not working, he felt hurt that i would not lend him mine. my reply was to do his 2nd step and we would talk about my concept on the other side of his exploration. he seemed confused by my reticence to talk about GOD as i understand the concept, but grudgingly accepted that perhaps i may be correct in this matter. i am more than willing to talk about what and how i believe GOD's love and care is manifested in my life, but like me, he needs to begin the journey without knowledge of what i believe, so that he too may come to discover who and what GOD is to him. his journey is not mine and when he crosses the threshold into discovering for himself what may or may not work for him, i will talk at length to him about what and how i see GOD today. of course it will really disturb my sponsee when i tell him that this like everything else i have come to understand is subject to revision.
∞ DT ∞
i know that had i used my sponsor’s HIGHER POWER when i started the process of discovering my spirituality i would have kept it whether it worked for me or not. i was so desperate to fit in and be accepted that i would not have seen fit to grow in any direction. and believe me when i got here all i wanted to do was fit in somewhere! i am grateful today that my first sponsor was wise enough and patient enough with me in those early days to force me to find something that worked for me. although the process of discovering GOD was not easy nor without missteps, the fact is that i did find a HIGHER POWER that works for me and have the freedom to allow my understanding of that concept to morph and change as needed throughout the my journey.
recently one of the men i am sponsoring has decided that his concept was not working, he felt hurt that i would not lend him mine. my reply was to do his 2nd step and we would talk about my concept on the other side of his exploration. he seemed confused by my reticence to talk about GOD as i understand the concept, but grudgingly accepted that perhaps i may be correct in this matter. i am more than willing to talk about what and how i believe GOD's love and care is manifested in my life, but like me, he needs to begin the journey without knowledge of what i believe, so that he too may come to discover who and what GOD is to him. his journey is not mine and when he crosses the threshold into discovering for himself what may or may not work for him, i will talk at length to him about what and how i see GOD today. of course it will really disturb my sponsee when i tell him that this like everything else i have come to understand is subject to revision.
∞ DT ∞