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Miracles In Progress 12 Step Recovery Forums -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> Power.
Post Info TOPIC: Power.
gonee


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Power.
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  "Lack of power, that was our dilemma. we had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power?
      Well, that?s exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem." Pg 44 AA book.

At my very first meeting the speaker told me exactly what the problem was and the solution to that problem. I went home that night and tried the solution and it worked. However I was not convinced that God could do this for me- "unbelief." So after a while I tried to do it on my own- result relapse.

I found that the AA text solved my problem in enabling me, in finding Power. I came from a religious family, but my life had no power in it. What's different about the AA book? You might not believe this, no pun intended, but it tabulated the 12 steps in an orderly way which can be easily applied to my life.

Today when I encounter a problem, I look for power. The power provides the solution. The solution is then applied. Sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly, but it always works.

It's only inretrospect that I see it was the best decision taken by that power.smilesmilesmile.



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Stepchild


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It's kind of funny...I knew the power was always there. I just needed to face and get rid of what was blocking me from it. I guess now I can say the best decision I ever made was step 3. The best action I've ever taken was facing what was blocking me....Steps 4 through 6...And removing what was blocking me...Steps 7 through 9. I guess that left me with the tools I needed to build a new life and use that power....Or better yet...Let that power use me....Steps 10 through 12. They talk about it in the book...

Though our decision was a vital and crucial step, it could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a strenuous effort to face, and to be rid of, the things in ourselves which had been blocking us.

BB pg 64



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Mike D


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Hi Gonee, Loved your new topic posting.  Finding the Power.  Yes.  It's always an appropriate topic for us at any time.  My guess is that it should stimulate a whole lot of great discussion and sharing among all of us on this board.  I live in Iowa, in the middle of the U.S.  Here is how I see things from my own experience and perspective:

Way before sobriety ever happened for me, I always knew Who the Power is, and What the Power is, and I knew where to find that Power.  I knew about prayer.  I knew about turning to God for help.  In other words, I knew that it is God who created the universe...and created me.  However, for the most part, I mainly ignored God and lived my life as if I didn't need Him for any particular reason.  Or, I lived as if I were God myself.  I always believed that He exists, but I never believed that I'd ever find Him to be necessary in my life, or find it necessary to make Him part of my life....let alone central to my life.  I knew He is there...I just didn't need Him for anything.  My prideful ego had pushed God out of my life.  Anyone who chooses to live this way will always find themselves making bad decisions and poor choices that go directly against what they know to be right and wrong.  Due to the many terrible actions I had taken in my life, I believed that I was on God's "Bad List".  I was "on the outs" with Him.  Since I believed that God loves good people, and despises bad people (like me), I believed that God must surely despise me.  So, as you can see, my bad actions (sins) only drove me further away from Him.  I think you get the picture.

Okay, let's fast-forward to my alcoholic bottom at the beginning of 1988.  I got to the point of wanting and welcoming death.  I was in my second alcoholic treatment facility.  While I was there, for some strange reason, my death-thoughts disappeared and I became totally desperate to live.  I wanted to live more than anything.  In fact, I got so desperate that I became willing  to do anything to live.  So, in a moment of pure desperation, I prayed to the God who I did not believe would ever help me...and probably hated me.  I simply asked Him to help me, because I can't do anything myself.  Now, here's where I could tell you a long detailed account of what happened next, but I think it's probably enough to say that I received immediate and very powerful help from God...right in that moment.

I encountered God in that moment.  Yet, the main thing I encountered is God's Love!!!!!  Love is the part I didn't know.  That's the part of it all that I didn't believe.  Divine Love.  I suddenly understood that no matter what wrong things I'd done in life, He still loves me and had never stopped loving me.  With everything God showed me by His loving forgiving actions, I KNEW that He would help me every Step of the way to recovery and that He was giving me new life already.  In that moment, I did Steps 1,and 2, and 3.  After I was released from treatment, I went directly to A.A. and did those Steps formally and made prayer a regular daily thing.  Very soon after that, my sponsor introduced me to Step Four where I honestly addressed my faulty life, admitted my wrongs openly in Step 5, and made ALL my amends at Steps 8 and 9.  Steps 10, 11, and 12 soon followed, and today I stick very close to God through prayer and meditation.

Today I know that my ego (Pride) had blocked out the Grace that God had always wanted to give me from the day I was born.  Once I humbled myself before Him in prayer and through working the Steps, I opened myself up to His loving Grace.  Divine Grace is like rainfall or sunshine.  You can step out into the rain or sunshine and let it wash over you, or you can protect yourself from it, and block it out.  Today, I choose not to protect myself from Divine Love any more.  I need all of it I can get.

Thanks for the topic and letting me share on it.  Blessings, Mike D.



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http://mikedauthor.blogspot.com/
2granddaughters


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An old WWII patriotic poster from Britain that you could get and hang on your wall.

I find it very meaningful in my recovery vintagraph.com/products/it-all-depends-on-me-and-i-depend-on-god

All the best.

Bob

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Sober Strummer


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I agree with this! See my sig! :)

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 "I spent a lifetime in hell and it only took me twelve steps to get to heaven." 

"Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you."
betterthanyesterday52


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Great topic and great post, Mike D.!

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justadrunk


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Thanks Gonee and everyone

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Thanks for everything.  Peace and Love on your journey.  
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