Blog entry for:
Wed, Aug 24, 2005 05:36:51 AM
∞ surrender,embrace,accept ∞
posted: Wed, Aug 24, 2005 05:36:51 AM
surrendering my expectations, embracing GOD and accepting my life sounds like an excellent recipe for working the eleventh step. none of this comes easily for me.
as a human i have expectations about the people and events that comprise my life. when i was in active addiction the last thing i ever wanted to do was surrender anything. i wanted what i wanted and if some aspect did not meet my expectations i was pissed-off and miserable. i would go back and exert my will until the results were closer to what i expected and desired.
since i considered myself to be a ‘ smart ‘ person, embracing the concept of a divine power went totally against my grain. of course when times got tough, i would say a lsquo; get me out of here ’ prayer and expected the situation to suddenly change favorably for me.
and of course accepting my life such as it was at that moment was a state i rarely achieved. since my expectations were seldom met, i was constantly whining about how bad my life was and did everything short of real action to improve my life. what that mostly consisted of was being miserable and making everyone else in my life miserable.
so here i am today, thinking about my current spiritual state and i find elements of the same diseased thinking. i still have an expectation or three, i still have trouble embracing GOD from time to time and i tolerate my life rather than accepting it on most days. although intellectually i accept this recipe for living the eleventh step, emotionally i still have a problem or two. part of the problem is the current state of my step work or lack thereof. if i truly learn to LIVE a third step much of this would go away or at least be addressed through the step process. so i guess what i have to do right here and right now is make a decision to surrender my will and my life into the care of a GOD of my understanding and see what happens.
∞ DT ∞
as a human i have expectations about the people and events that comprise my life. when i was in active addiction the last thing i ever wanted to do was surrender anything. i wanted what i wanted and if some aspect did not meet my expectations i was pissed-off and miserable. i would go back and exert my will until the results were closer to what i expected and desired.
since i considered myself to be a ‘ smart ‘ person, embracing the concept of a divine power went totally against my grain. of course when times got tough, i would say a lsquo; get me out of here ’ prayer and expected the situation to suddenly change favorably for me.
and of course accepting my life such as it was at that moment was a state i rarely achieved. since my expectations were seldom met, i was constantly whining about how bad my life was and did everything short of real action to improve my life. what that mostly consisted of was being miserable and making everyone else in my life miserable.
so here i am today, thinking about my current spiritual state and i find elements of the same diseased thinking. i still have an expectation or three, i still have trouble embracing GOD from time to time and i tolerate my life rather than accepting it on most days. although intellectually i accept this recipe for living the eleventh step, emotionally i still have a problem or two. part of the problem is the current state of my step work or lack thereof. if i truly learn to LIVE a third step much of this would go away or at least be addressed through the step process. so i guess what i have to do right here and right now is make a decision to surrender my will and my life into the care of a GOD of my understanding and see what happens.
∞ 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!
accept life 267 words ➥ Tuesday, August 24, 2004 by: donnotα the answers usually will not come in a flash of white light accompanied by a drum roll. Ω 342 words ➥ Thursday, August 24, 2006 by: donnot
↔ i have a choice. i can spend all my time fighting ↔ 404 words ➥ Friday, August 24, 2007 by: donnot
μ in recovery, i learn acceptance. μ 498 words ➥ Sunday, August 24, 2008 by: donnot
« i expected miracles on demand, » 606 words ➥ Monday, August 24, 2009 by: donnot
∗ i have this choice: i can spend all my time fighting … 669 words ➥ Tuesday, August 24, 2010 by: donnot
∈ the only way out of the trouble i make for myself ∈ 378 words ➥ Wednesday, August 24, 2011 by: donnot
♣ i accept the notion of being careful of praying for specific things ♣ 808 words ➥ Friday, August 24, 2012 by: donnot
∏ i will surrender my expectations, ∏ 604 words ➥ Saturday, August 24, 2013 by: donnot
± i seek knowledge in my prayers and meditation ± 448 words ➥ Sunday, August 24, 2014 by: donnot
≈ seeking God*s will ≈ 541 words ➥ Monday, August 24, 2015 by: donnot
🌈 a quiet 🌋 534 words ➥ Wednesday, August 24, 2016 by: donnot
🏁 peace and serenity 🏗 538 words ➥ Thursday, August 24, 2017 by: donnot
🎰 miracles on demand 🎰 455 words ➥ Friday, August 24, 2018 by: donnot
🙇 get me out 🙏 427 words ➥ Saturday, August 24, 2019 by: donnot
📤 the ebb 📥 562 words ➥ Monday, August 24, 2020 by: donnot
💎 spending all 💡 306 words ➥ Tuesday, August 24, 2021 by: donnot
👣 surrendering 👣 384 words ➥ Wednesday, August 24, 2022 by: donnot
🤣 finding 😎 507 words ➥ Thursday, August 24, 2023 by: donnot
😜 of course, 😜 372 words ➥ Saturday, August 24, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 2
4) Therefore the sage desires what (other men) do not desire, and
does not prize things difficult to get; he learns what (other men)
do not learn, and turns back to what the multitude of men have passed
by. Thus he helps the natural development of all things, and does
not dare to act (with an ulterior purpose of his own).