I Don't Know If It Is A Good Thing I Don't Know If It Is A Bad Thing
Many centuries ago there was a kingdom and in this kingdom there lived a farmer and this farmer had a beautiful white stallion. The king of the kingdom desired the farmer's beautiful white stallion. So the king sent an emissary to the farmer who offered the farmer a quarter of the kings kingdom for the beautiful white stallion. The farmer, he said no as I love my beautiful white stallion. The very next day the beautiful white stallion ran away. So all the people from the village come running out to the farmer and say that is a bad thing that happened to you You could have had a quarter of the kings kingdom and now your beautiful white stallion has run away. The farmer he says, I don't know If It's a good thing I don't know If It's a bad thing all I know is my beautiful white stallion has run away. The very next day the farmer is in his field and he looks up on the hill and what does he see? He sees his beautiful white stallion and behind his beautiful white stallion are four more white stallions just as beautiful as his. So all the people from the village come running out to the farmer and they say. It's a good thing you didn't trade your beautiful white stallion for a quarter of the king' kingdom as now you have five beautiful white stallions. You can probably get half of the kings kingdom! The farmer he says, I don't know if it's a good thing I don't know if it's a bad thing all I know is I have five beautiful white stallions. The very next day the farmers son is breaking one of the wild white stallions. He is thrown from the stallion and breaks both his legs. So all the people from the village come running out to the farmer and say that is a bad thing that happened to you. You need your son to work in the fields and now he can't as he has two broken legs. The farmer he says, I don't know if it's a good thing I don't know if it's a bad thing all I know is my son has two broken legs. The very next day the kingdom goes to war and all the able bodied men are being drafted into the army and thy will go to the front and they will surely die but the farmers son he can't go as he has two broken legs. So all the people from the village come running out to the farmer and they say that is a good thing that your son was thrown from the wild white stallion and broke both his legs as your son would have been drafted into the army, he would have gone to the front and he would have surely died. The farmer he says, I don't know if it's a good thing I don't know if it's a bad thing all I know is my son can't go as he has two broken legs.
The moral of the story is that we are not to judge what is occurring in our life as good or bad but to have faith and to trust in God praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry it out.
The moral of the story is that we are not to judge what is occurring in our life as good or bad but to have faith and to trust in God praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry it out.
The white stallion is a great allegory, exactly spelling out the frustration of living in constant anxiety and ambivalence. Over much of my life, I have paid dearly for second-guessing, duplicity, and a never-good-enough-for-me approach to the events affecting me. I lived in a constant state of judgment, critical of myself and of all others. Trust and faith were completely absent from my nature, thus I had no spiritual capacity and lived on thin ice. Through the program of recovery taught to us in The Big Book, I have grown to understand, to be patient, to trust, and finally, to carry out His will for me. But because my human nature is going nowhere, on any given day it can become a battle for position. Will I follow the dictates of my naturally self-centered thinking, or will I let go of my human nature and live in The Eleventh Step through the guidance of The Power Within me? I understand the meaning of "time takes time." The pause between my first thought and my consequent behavior can literally change the outcome of the moment, the hour, the day, the life I live.
ReplyDeleteMichael In the will of God patience trust and many other virtues emanate trough us from Him...Thank you...Armand
DeleteArmand,
ReplyDeleteThis is truly one of the most miraculous apprehensions of deep faith and humility that can be acquired. Resting in the absolute understanding that Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose," is the cornerstone upon which experiential serenity is constructed. Many thanks for once again teasing this topic to life.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic.
a Grateful Recovering Alcoholic the defined purpose of the 12 Steps is such a life...Thank you...Armand
DeleteThe farmer's faith is a great ideal for me to personally strive for. I am getting better at accepting the curve balls that show up in life, both good and bad. To be honest, I think the bad stuff is often better for me than the good. With the good things, I start believing that I am the source of my good fortune. I enjoy the prestige and recognition. It's hard for me to accept good fortune and maintain my humility and gratitude. I eventually crash and burn. I grow the most when I face challenges or get knocked down. It's the old saying, "Its not how many times you get knocked down in life, it's how many times you pick yourself up." Some of my best moments are a result of picking myself off the canvas and the growth I experience from that recovery. My AA journey is a prime example. But often the growth does not happen in the material world, but shows up in my spiritual life. The world would probably judge differently, but spiritual growth will take me a lot closer to my primary purpose in this life which is to spend eternity with God in heaven.
ReplyDeletejim when the Spirit is awakened we have the power to help others selflessly...Thank you...Armand
DeleteJim as you know growth begins at trust in God and trust in God begins with humilty...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteArmand this is one of my favorite writings and reminds me that I don’t know what’s good for me or not good but my higher power does. No decision is a wrong decision I just get a different set of experiences. Trust God and clean house to keep the channel open and to know what his will is for me and even if I get it wrong that’s ok too as it’s not probable that we are going to be inspired at all times. As Dr Bob said in his last speech love and service are what the twelve steps are simmered down to.
ReplyDeleteAnne the purpose of the 12 steps is to live in the will of God. There we will not drink nor manifest our character defects in our behavior...Thank you...Armand
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