Blog entry for:
Thu, Jan 10, 2013 07:48:26 AM
∞ a belief in some sort of Higher Power ∞
posted: Thu, Jan 10, 2013 07:48:26 AM
can make all the difference when the going gets tough!
at the risk of falling into a trap, i will simply state, that what i think of, when i consider the POWER that fuels my recovery, does not look anything like what others seem to think that GOD is, and it certainly has no roots in the religion of my youth. i will, for the sake of brevity and because i am lazy, use the term GOD in this little ditty of a random, or semi-random, brain dump. as someone who has struggled with this whole HIGHER POWER concept from the get go, i understand that some who stumble across this may find it a bit disturbing that i use the term , GOD so liberally in the writing below.
now that my disclaimer is out of the way: GOD, GOD, GOD!
yes, i am a brat from time to time, as well. this morning, i almost missed what i needed to hear as i read the daily reading. the parts about what i already do, as part of my day, asking GOD for the power to stay clean and thanking GOD, for that gift, made me skim over the really important [part for me, gratitude for having built a bit of FAITH and having the desire to continue to deepen my relationship with GOD. i really never consider how much of a gift that FAITH is, and that acknowledging that i may feel grateful for it, is even further from my mind. honestly when i started this gig, it was all about doing what i was told, like some sort of automaton or recovery robot. my first sponsor said do it and so it on my knees, and i was desperate enough and yes superstitious enough that i did just do it. though naive, i did not realize back in those first ninety days, that everything i NEEDED to learn about recovery was given to me. in those second ninety days, my growing dis-ease and malaise, finally pushed me off the fence and into a place where i was willing to do almost anything. one might consider it a mild form of Stockholm syndrome, with the difference being, that i was being held hostage by the justice system and the rooms of recovery were my captors guards and my tormentors. by the end of those first six months all i wanted was freedom from the obsession to use, and i finally did more than just go through the motions, i actually surrendered top the fact that unless i gave up the notion of being different, i would never find any relief. not that i came much closer to GOD, on that day, but it certainly was a major shift within me, and that started the process of me actually seeking a path of recovery, where i did not have to alter the language, talk about a substance or pretend that i empathized or even understood what the FVCK they were talking about.
from that day forward, i could have and still should be grateful, that i could finally start to see some sort of concept of the POWER that fuels my recovery today. as i sit here, i am grateful that i was given enough grace from GOD, to stay clean long enough to achieve that spark of FAITH, that has grown into the core of my belief system today.
i could go on, but as i am grateful for the opportunity to support myself financially, i need to jump into a shower and head out to work. that too, is a gift from the POWER that fuels my recovery, it is true that i had to do footwork, but in my life that is who things work. i get an opportunity and if i am awake for it, i may get my heart's desire, which may also end up being EXACTLY WHAT I NEED TODAY. it is after all a great day to be grateful for the opportunity to march through this twenty-four.
at the risk of falling into a trap, i will simply state, that what i think of, when i consider the POWER that fuels my recovery, does not look anything like what others seem to think that GOD is, and it certainly has no roots in the religion of my youth. i will, for the sake of brevity and because i am lazy, use the term GOD in this little ditty of a random, or semi-random, brain dump. as someone who has struggled with this whole HIGHER POWER concept from the get go, i understand that some who stumble across this may find it a bit disturbing that i use the term , GOD so liberally in the writing below.
now that my disclaimer is out of the way: GOD, GOD, GOD!
yes, i am a brat from time to time, as well. this morning, i almost missed what i needed to hear as i read the daily reading. the parts about what i already do, as part of my day, asking GOD for the power to stay clean and thanking GOD, for that gift, made me skim over the really important [part for me, gratitude for having built a bit of FAITH and having the desire to continue to deepen my relationship with GOD. i really never consider how much of a gift that FAITH is, and that acknowledging that i may feel grateful for it, is even further from my mind. honestly when i started this gig, it was all about doing what i was told, like some sort of automaton or recovery robot. my first sponsor said do it and so it on my knees, and i was desperate enough and yes superstitious enough that i did just do it. though naive, i did not realize back in those first ninety days, that everything i NEEDED to learn about recovery was given to me. in those second ninety days, my growing dis-ease and malaise, finally pushed me off the fence and into a place where i was willing to do almost anything. one might consider it a mild form of Stockholm syndrome, with the difference being, that i was being held hostage by the justice system and the rooms of recovery were my captors guards and my tormentors. by the end of those first six months all i wanted was freedom from the obsession to use, and i finally did more than just go through the motions, i actually surrendered top the fact that unless i gave up the notion of being different, i would never find any relief. not that i came much closer to GOD, on that day, but it certainly was a major shift within me, and that started the process of me actually seeking a path of recovery, where i did not have to alter the language, talk about a substance or pretend that i empathized or even understood what the FVCK they were talking about.
from that day forward, i could have and still should be grateful, that i could finally start to see some sort of concept of the POWER that fuels my recovery today. as i sit here, i am grateful that i was given enough grace from GOD, to stay clean long enough to achieve that spark of FAITH, that has grown into the core of my belief system today.
i could go on, but as i am grateful for the opportunity to support myself financially, i need to jump into a shower and head out to work. that too, is a gift from the POWER that fuels my recovery, it is true that i had to do footwork, but in my life that is who things work. i get an opportunity and if i am awake for it, i may get my heart's desire, which may also end up being EXACTLY WHAT I NEED TODAY. it is after all a great day to be grateful for the opportunity to march through this twenty-four.
∞ DT ∞
The views expressed on this page are solely the opinion of the author.
While the author is a member of a 12 Step recovery fellowship, these writings are not intended to endorse or express the published wisdom of any fellowship.
These writings are not meant to be socially or politically correct, and if you take issue with any opinions expressed, please seek the guidance of someone wiser than me.
While the author is a member of a 12 Step recovery fellowship, these writings are not intended to endorse or express the published wisdom of any fellowship.
These writings are not meant to be socially or politically correct, and if you take issue with any opinions expressed, please seek the guidance of someone wiser than me.
Another Look!
↔ connection ↔ 211 words ➥ Monday, January 10, 2005 by: donnot↔ grateful for the connection ↔ 626 words ➥ Tuesday, January 10, 2006 by: donnot
∞ my recovery is a gift, a gift that i sometimes take for granted. ∞ 528 words ➥ Wednesday, January 10, 2007 by: donnot
α just as my addiction progressed,so does my spiritual life develop in the course of working the program. ω 640 words ➥ Thursday, January 10, 2008 by: donnot
φ from time to time i find it a necessity to make a **gratitude list** φ 643 words ➥ Sunday, January 10, 2010 by: donnot
ℑ i am very grateful to have come to believe ℑ 501 words ➥ Monday, January 10, 2011 by: donnot
¿ am i grateful for my deepening relationship with a Higher Power ? 580 words ➥ Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by: donnot
∞ one of the greatest gifts i receive from the Twelve Steps ∞ 979 words ➥ Friday, January 10, 2014 by: donnot
¿ do i remember to thank the POWER … 548 words ➥ Saturday, January 10, 2015 by: donnot
☯ gratitude ☼ 1102 words ➥ Sunday, January 10, 2016 by: donnot
“ a gratitude list ” 666 words ➥ Tuesday, January 10, 2017 by: donnot
🎈 a gift 🎁 582 words ➥ Wednesday, January 10, 2018 by: donnot
🏗 of my own understanding. 🏗 525 words ➥ Thursday, January 10, 2019 by: donnot
🌄 each day 🌇 574 words ➥ Friday, January 10, 2020 by: donnot
🌄 remembering 🌄 346 words ➥ Sunday, January 10, 2021 by: donnot
🧗 when the 🧗 426 words ➥ Monday, January 10, 2022 by: donnot
🌅 coming 🌄 578 words ➥ Tuesday, January 10, 2023 by: donnot
🛌 waking up 🛎 491 words ➥ Wednesday, January 10, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 2
2) There is an originating and all-comprehending (principle) in my
words, and an authoritative law for the things (which I enforce).
It is because they do not know these, that men do not know me.