Our spiritual condition is the basis for a successful recovery that offers unlimited growth.
Basic Text, p. 44
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When our members celebrate their recovery anniversaries, they often say that theyve grown up in NA. Well, then, we think, what does that mean? We start to wonder if were grownups yet. We check our lives and yes, all the trappings of adulthood are there: the checkbook, the children, the job, the responsibilities. On the inside, though, we often feel like children. Were still confused by life much of the time. We dont always know how to act. We sometimes wonder whether were really grownups at all, or whether were children whove somehow been put into adult bodies and given adult responsibilities.
Growth is not best measured by physical age or levels of responsibility. Our best measure of growth is our spiritual condition, the basis of our recovery. If were still depending on people, places, and things to provide our inner satisfaction, like a child depending on its parents for everything, we do indeed have some growing to do. But if we stand secure on the foundation of our spiritual condition, considering its maintenance our most important responsibility, we can claim maturity. Upon that foundation, our opportunities for growth are limitless.
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Just for today: The measure of my maturity is the extent to which I take responsibility for the maintenance of my spiritual condition. Today, this will be my highest priority.
While using it's as if I was a child in an adults body, nothing but MY wants mattered. Gaining maturity and emotional growth just didn't happen during active addiction. I came to NA emotionally stunted with no clue how to live life on life's terms. When first clean it was like I was a two year old with adult life challenges to deal with! Learning to live the spiritual principles of NA through the Steps was and is the solution. Today I don't have to be AS MUCH of an emotional child as I once was, don't have to throw tantrums if things don't go my way, don't have to think it's all about me, don't have to wallow in misery but can rather choose to learn and grow.
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Work the Steps or Die MF. (My Friend :) Clean One Day At a Time by The Grace of God through The Power of NA
Learning to live the spiritual principles of NA through the Steps was and is the solution.
Exactly! As a newbie, I am finding that living the spiritual principles has become paramount to staying clean. I have seen the subtle change in me come about as a result of practicing spiritual principles.....prayer for guidance and acceptance has gotten me thruogh each day. As a grown up, it is my responsibility to follow through with this program, get to meetings, talk to my sponsor and actually LISTEN to others - something I never really did before. I almost feel like a child listening to a parent (that parent being my sponsor)....for years I would ask advice from others but always ended up doing things MY WAY ...which got me nowhere. Being honest is also a part of growing up....I always manipulated the truth and now I find that honesty is sooooo much easier than deceit. I feel good when I am honest - with others as well as myself.
