"If we maintain our spiritual condition daily, we find it easier to deal with the pain and confusion."
Basic Text, p. 95
When we first began searching for a Power greater than ourselves, many of us got stuck in old beliefs or ideas. These ranged from the fear of a punishing or vengeful God to no belief at all. Some of us felt we had done such terrible things that a loving Power would never have anything to do with us. Others were convinced that the "bad" things that happened to us would not have occurred if a loving Power had actually existed. It took time, effort, open-mindedness, and faith to acquire a working belief in a loving High Power that would guide us through life's challenges.
Even after we come to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, our old ideas can come back to haunt us. Major setbacks in our lives and the insecurity such events can trigger may give rise to the return of our old, inadequate ideas about God. When this happens, we need to assure ourselves that our Higher Power has not abandoned us but is waiting to help us make it through the hard times in our recovery. No matter how painful our loss may be, we will survive our setback and continue to grow if we maintain the faith our program has given us.
Just for Today: I have worked hard to build my faith in a loving, caring Higher Power that will guide me through life's challenges. Today I will trust that Power
I find myself calling on God more and more. Seemingly little things sometimes, but important to me. Examples. Yesterday after finally started to feel well enough from a back injury to resume exercising I woke up with my hip throbbing. I prayed to God to take the pain away. By the afternoon it was barely noticeable. Mind you, no flash of lightning struck me in the hip curing it, but rather I was guided by my higher power to take the correct actions to heal. This is not how things would have gone b4 I came to believe. Another one, this morning I went to the computer like always and had no internet connection, ok this happens except I noticed that there was no power signal to my router. Ooops....my extremely limited tech sense was overwhelmed by this. I felt the old familiar panic rising up. I stopped and prayed for God to fix it using me as His tool. I looked at the jumble of wires and bypassed the router proving that the internet signal was indeed coming from the ISP. But we need the router because my wife needs her system for work. I then re-connected a couple of wires (on pure faith), went through a re-boot sequence I had been given and voila! Internet. Little miracles like this happen to me all the time now. Some may say it's a coincidence or luck, but I know better.
This is right where I am today. I read this and where it says "If we maintain our spiritual condition daily, we find it easier to deal with the pain and confusion." I want to deny that life has pain and confusion in it for me. With as much clean time as I have, and the length of my gratitude list, I still experience pain and confusion regarding life itself; for no apparent reason. Where that comes from I do not know, it's been there as long as I can remember. I sat my prayer and meditation last night and this morning and recognize that there is still that thing inside me that kept me using. All the stuff and ego and back slaps haven't filled it. If I don't maintain this daily, I quickly get into the behaviors of someone who is using, without ever touching dope.
A trip to Salt Lake City today for training all week. Thanks to everyone who shares on this board! I won't be able to share during the day or keep up with it like I'd like but I'll try to get to it as much as I can. Thanks for being here again!
Yup Im with you Don, I aint much on coincidences.....I believe when we petition as much as we do with our HP ,things that may have at one time seemed coincidental,seem more like answered prayer!! For me anywayy...
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Our purpose is to remain clean,just for today,and to carry the message of recovery.
