Serenity is the absence of conflict in our thoughts. We who have committed ourselves to the program (the Twelve Steps) of Alcoholics Anonymous have deemed that it is the program itself which must come first in our lives. Alongside such a commitment comes a personal relationship with a supreme power. In the chapter How It Works in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous it says " that One is God, may you find Him now. . Living by these honorable ideals ushers the blessings of serenity into the stream of our lives - no matter what transpires.
In the Alcoholics Anonymous literature, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, such a paragon way of living is elucidated: "We are no longer frightened and purposeless. The moment we catch even a glimpse of God's will, the moment we begin to see truth, justice and love as the real and eternal things in life, we are no longer deeply disturbed by all the seeming evidence to the contrary that surrounds us in purely human affairs. We know that God lovingly watches over us."
By integrating the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous into our lives in such a way that they become our lives, and by manifesting the principles of those steps in our behavior, we have the opportunity to have safe and serene lives. Remembering that joy is not the absence of sorrow, but the presence of God … experience serenity we will.
Written By Armand
Written By Armand
I have no idea where the absence of peace in my life came from or why. But it existed long before I picked up my first drink, and it was relentless in its pervasiveness. Alcohol was my solution but it boomeranged on me with a deadly thud. As The Doctor's Opinion states, we continue to drink even though we know it is injurious to us; to the point where we can no longer differentiate the true and the false. We are lost human beings, using all our energy to stay afloat on a sea of alcoholic suffering. Only the awareness of the presence of The Power Within me relieved me from this unbearable bondage. That Power was awakened in me only by incorporating The Steps into my life in just the way you suggest - until they became my life. Today, I can comprehend the word serenity and I know peace. There is no greater Gift and no greater calling that to give it away.
ReplyDeleteMichael a gift of living in the will of God is a serene life...Thank you...Armand
DeleteArmand,
ReplyDeleteAnything less than complete surrender of our entire personhood and spirit to the Person and Spirit of God in the 4th and 5th step shows that we are still under the delusion that we still somehow possess the leverage to negotiate the "terms and conditions of our surrender" allowing us to carry on with our lives as though alcohol or any other substance abuse issue was our only problem and were it not for that "daemon rum" life would be just dandy. However, much like a marriage, the purpose of executing these steps in the presence of either an AA sponsor or other spiritual advisor is to have a temporal witness to this deeply spiritual commitment that results in the birth of a new and eternal relationship between God, and in my case, man.
As long as this alcoholic entertains any thought or imagining that God eventually wants me to climb back into the drivers seat and direct life's tour would easily come under the definition of insanity and the basic foundation of the mental meanderings of a megalomaniac. It reminds me of the bumper stickers I've seen that say "God is my Co-Pilot". I want to run up to the driver and fervently encourage them to pry their fingers off the "wheel" and quickly swap seats, for although that type of thinking provides, in this case, a form of spiritual walk it completely lacks the Power of the Author and Finisher of the journey as we now mistakenly rely upon Him to accomplish our will with His power and inevitably experiencing all the frustrations and bumps along the way until finally placeing the keys in His perfectly capable hands. Simply put, This alcoholic is incapable of generating the serenity spoken of in the Big Book. Never could, never will.
Serenity, is a gift of God to all who "humble themselves and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways", For then His eyes shall be open and His ears attentive to the prayers of this place. And thus, He says, "I shall grant you a time of refreshment". That, my brother, is serenity.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic as you so well articulated the surrender necessary must be complete and without reservation...Thank you...Armand
DeleteI am very grateful for this way of living. It isn't easy, but necessary for me to live. As time passes, this way of living becomes much more natural and peaceful. Alcohol was but a symptom of my true malady; self centered fear. Fear that I won't get what I wanted or lose what I have. You taught me that. Humility and selflessness. I like the quote "Selflessness isn't thinking less of myself, but thinking of myself less."
ReplyDeleteJim love the explanation of selflessness...Thank you...Armand
Delete