A resentful person is infectious and highly contagious, manifesting pain through gossip, slander, sarcasm, self-pity, cruelty, arrogance and an unteachable heart. In some cases, bottled-up feelings eat away at individuals until some become emotionally crippled and physically ill. Their ability to function is impaired, which diminishes their effectiveness. In turn, they often have difficulty sleeping, coping with life’s everyday trials and dealing effectively with others, all the while their faith in Christ/HIGHER POWER deteriorates.
God/HIGHER POWER understands the challenge of forgiving those who hurt us. He does not forbid the believer to feel the result of a wrongdoing. He does however, set up two guidelines for working through pain and anger inflicted upon us by others. One, He tells us to keep clear of bitterness, spite and hatred. The second, check daily for unresolved malevolent feelings. Both are accomplished by walking in continual forgiveness towards those who have harmed us in the past, present and future.
God’s plan calls for all to suffer. While this reality is sometimes difficult to accept, the truth remains that grace for life’s circumstances is dependent upon Almighty God, who allows trials as a means to draw us closer to Him. Moving forward against overwhelming adversity builds perseverance, character, wisdom and intimacy with Christ. Without the grace of God, the results of bitterness are devastating, as it erodes joy, poisons peace, sours love and reaps unforgiven wrongs in the lives of all it touches.
THANKS BIGV. THAT'S A GREAT PIECE OF WISDOM. KEEP IT POURING MAN...
__________________
"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
BigV, that was amazing, I never heard anything like that before.
Yes please keep pouring it on, you are an inspisation. I truly love hearing what you have to say.
Take care Bigv and have a great 24.
I stoled that from someone else old habits are hard to break Sheila
But heres something original, I made it thru today without using and or abusing , felt like abusing some people today and ripping them some new Aholes but instead I was gentle and understanding i'm dealing with some really sick people in my life todaybut after its all said and done I did not feel like I needed to run or escape and use so somethings working in MY life today, for that I am thankful and greatful.
BigV wrote: i'm dealing with some really sick people in my life
THESE PEOPLE CAN BE OUR GREATEST TEACHERS. THEY CAN JUST BE THE OPPORTUNITY WE NEED TO GROW MORE BY PRACTICING PATIENCE, ACCEPTANCE AND TOLERANCE, LOVE AND COMPASSION... I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR PRESENCE IN MY RECOVERY, EVEN THOUGH MY SICK MIND MIGHT NOT LIKE IT THAT WAY SOMETIMES...
__________________
"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Tahir I know what you mean and I tried to keep that in mind but let me tell you, I cannot even express the stress I felt yesterday after all that went on, I had to take my GABA complex to calm down LOL. I've decided that one of those people will no longer have a place in my life he is just to big of a liar and deceitful, also a thief, the other one has been a friend to me for 10 years and we both put up with each other because we're like freaken brothers so not letting him go yet LOL YET!!!!!!!!!!
HEY I CAN RELATE... FOR US ADDICTS, AS SOON AS WE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO STAY STOPPED, THE NEXT THING THAT HITS US IS CODEPENDENCY...
SOMETIMES, I TRY HARD TO HELP, SACRIFICING MY TIME, ENERGY, INTEREST AND MONEY FOR THESE PEOPLE, TRYING HARD TO SAVE THEM FROM THEIR DESTINY... THINKIN THAT I AM BEING COMPASSIONATE BY DOING SO...
THEN, WHEN IT CHANGES NOTHING FOR THEM, I FEEL A VICTIM AND GO ON MY 'OFFENDER' ROLE... SOMETIMES I GET SO PISSED THAT I BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THEM (NOT LITERALLY)...
ANYWAY, EVEN ON THOSE OCCASIONS WHEN I DO END UP ACTING OUT ON THEM, I LEARN SOMETHING, EVEN FROM THOSE MISTAKES, AND TRY TO CHANGE MY APPROACH AND OUTLOOK... SO MISTAKES ARE GOOD TOO... NO MISTAKES, NOTHING TO LEARN... WHERE I HAVE LEARNED TO NOT MAKE MISTAKES, THERE I HAVE GROWN ALREADY... MY DEFECTS ARE WHERE THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR MORE GROWTH... IN THAT WAY, I'M GRATEFUL THAT I DO HAVE DEFECTS, AS THEY OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND GROW... DID I SEE RAISED EYEBROWS NOW???
__________________
"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Welp I had a talk with both those fella's today, the one that is a long time friend I told him that because i knew him so well and he'd always been there for me and is just like a brother would be to me that I was sticking by what he says , the other guy who is an aquaintance called me today to see if I was going to work with him and i told him NO, that I was done with him as far as any work or money goes, he tried talking me into hanging with him and dumping my buddy which began to anger me and I stayed calm and explained the whole situation to him calmly and direct and told him I was my own man and didn't need anyone making or changing my decisions and to please respect that, and he did.
And I told both of them to keep me out of all the BS going on between the two of them , I have enough on my plate right at this moment no time or space left for all this carp.
And thats that I feel totally and absolutely free of the whole thing.
Definetly me too tahir I have plenty of defects and they pop up on a daily basis many times over and that is exactly how I am now facing them, as an opportunity to grow, long as we do that we will grow, UP
BigV, I am learning everyday about these sick people. At first I fisrt I did not quite understand what my sponsor meant by saying some people are sicker than others. Today I can truly say I understand. Some of my most respected members of NA and with many years clean under their belts simply are sicker than others. I just assumed that with 11 years clean it made them better than me, I am wrong. Anyway I just felt the need to share, Have a great 24 BigV.
So true. 11 months clean or 11 years clean, we still are addicts, and as such, we still have a progresive and incurable disease of addiction, either we end up using or not. That is why, in a meeting, or in the fellowship, when I interact, I do it with a feeling that we all are clean, Just For Today, and in that way, we are all equal. You never know from where the Higher Power will give you that which you need in a particular situation. I have got my answers, solutions to my puzzles from members I would least expect to get it from if I close my mind by being selective or judgmental. When I am open and receptive towards all, I get amazed by the miracle happening. Sometimes, I have got the most powerful messages that I needed at that particular point of time from a suffering addict too, and from many oldtimers who seldom show up for meetings nowadays, but still pass on the message as best as they can, in their own ways... The point is, I must be open, and not put labels on people in NA, categorize them and put them in the folder of my sick brain...
__________________
"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
