I found that my prayer today is totally different from what it was in the past. What changed. My prayer used to be a string of petty requests and futile petitions to God. I was eventually taught to change that to a prayer of thanksgiving and praise for God, primarily because of the things which He had already done, and of course which I could not see. I was blinded by resentment and fear. When I got rid of these defects in steps 4;5;6;7, I found "the Great Reality deep down within me."pg 55 AA book. Step2- was belief in a power. Could not stay there. Step3- a decision for God as I understood. Step5- an admission to just GOD. Step7- a transition to Him- My loving Father. A portrait of a child sitting on his Father's lap. Today I have a Father in Heaven, to whom I could go to when I am heavily laden and burdened by life's trouble, and He gives me rest. From restless, irritable and discontented to restful, peacful and serene. That's what the steps are all about.
That is a pretty good discription of the trail I found myself on Gonee, just as if you had seen my own journey. I arrived at a bid of a difference in the relationship with my God though in the end..."today I have a Father in Heaven, to whom I could go to when I am heavily laden and burdened by life's trouble, and He gives me rest. From restless, irritable and discontented to restful, peacful and serene."...
Now I bring it all the good the bad and the ugly in front of my God 24/7. I use to only bring the need and now I bring the celebrations and gratitudes which far out weigh and out number my needs or my burdens. How would I have ever known or expected what would come of membership in recovery that would result in soooo many "thank You"s for what I have that come as a result of being loved unconditionally by my God. I came to understand in recovery that my God had never left...ever...and had been right behind me on all of my runs just waiting for me to slow down and stop. I'm stopped. I can see the beauty. I'm done running.
I believe that our 3rd step talks about "turning our will and our "lives" over to the care of God as we understood Him, as the word Lives is in the plural meaning "all: our lives as hubands ,wives,mothers,daughters,sons,employess,friends,etc.We continually need to meditate on this 3rd and (11th step) as humans we will fight to take our will back or only surrender the parts of our will and lives we think we need to and not all areas.Take my will,guide me in my recovery,show me how to live!(in all my lives)
__________________
Selfishness-self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.
Most people do not pray; they only beg. ~George Bernard Shaw
That pretty much summed up me when I came to AA.
Now my prayers are of two types:
One is for knowledge of his will and the power to carry it out.
The other is "Thanks!!"
Larry, -------------------- There come times when I have nothing more to tell God. If I were to continue to pray in words, I would have to repeat what I have already said. At such times it is wonderful to say to God, "May I be in Thy presence, Lord? I have nothing more to say to Thee, but I do love to be in Thy presence." ~O. Hallesby
-------------------- There come times when I have nothing more to tell God. If I were to continue to pray in words, I would have to repeat what I have already said. At such times it is wonderful to say to God, "May I be in Thy presence, Lord? I have nothing more to say to Thee, but I do love to be in Thy presence." ~O. Hallesby
That's profound! This is how feel sometimes, especially when I am driving some place.
Another piece of prayer (communication) I have with God is to ask God, "Is there anything you see that I might be of help with today" then I listen with my ears and eyes.
