I am often asked, HOW WILL I KNOW GOD'S WILL FOR ME. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous says "that it is not probable that we are going to be inspired at all times. We might pay for this presumption in all sorts of absurd actions and ideas. Nevertheless, we find that as time passes our thinking will be more and more on the plane of inspiration We come to rely on it." Inspiration is defined as "the thoughts of God implanted in the mind and soul of man." Once the thoughts of God hits my soul, I don't need to run it by my intellect to know it is the truth.
Although I am not capable of turning my will and my life over to the care of God in Step Three, I am capable of making a decision, a final choice to do so. Deciding from this day forward, I am willing not to allow my thought process to be propelled by my human instinct but rather by the will of God through inspiration.
If you have already made that decision, may God bless you and if you have not perhaps now would be the time for you to decide to turn your thoughts and behavior over to the care of God and begin to live your life in peace.
I have always known that my thoughts and actions were uninspired because they were propelled by me, and were under the care of me. In the Third Step, my decision was made easier because I fully realized that caring for myself was impossible, and that I needed to feel the care of a Higher Power to find any peace of mind at all. Feeling that care is the essence of inspiration as beautifully defined in your post. The remaining Steps provide me with the opportunity to live my life on that plane.
ReplyDeleteMichael i love your words "feeling that care is the essence of inspiration"...thank you so much...Armand
ReplyDeleteThis is from a grateful recovering alcoholic
ReplyDeleteHow will I know God's will for me?
Armand, another great topic.
No matter how far along the path I have traveled, Gods will is the diametric opposite of my own, always inconvenient and never focused on what I think He should think is the right spiritual spin for the planet, and... Altogether bathed in the overriding fear of the impending loss of some person, place or thing that I have invariably put in His place upon His throne. Although my conscience readily agrees with His revelation I become paralyzed by the fact that to overcome this newly revealed form of slavery requires internal power I simply don't possess. Devine will requires Devine power and anything else is tantamount to filling my gas tank with spring water. It doesn't matter how pure it is or if it sparkles in the sun, I'll never reach the destination. Fact is, I'll never exit the parking stall. But the answer to this hurdle is clearly contained in the back half of Step 11, "praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out" That power has turned out to be, for me, the "grain of a mustard seed of faith" called "willingness." Willingness to leap from the burning temple of a misspent life, willingness to make prayer and devotion the primary fuel for a life now centered on God's eternal paradigm.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
A Grateful Recovering Alcoholic A vital spiritual experience is the solution for our alcoholism. The Step Book says "if we can receive a perfect release from our problem with alcohol, why not apply the same solution to every other problem in our life." We give life to our relationship with God by living in the will of God. In the will of God all of our problems are solved as we live an inspired life...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteDeep down inside me there was always the awareness of right & wrong. My Parents intentions were always in my best interests. Dispite whatever frailties in thier own human natures, none of that mattered because they were God worshiping people in every sense. Some where along the way I had discovered that being bad was more rewarding than being good . As my teen years approached the bad things became more enjoyable to my self seeking nature. The lies became easier to tell, I became better at it. Never looking at the consiqences of my decisions my evil acts matured into a diabolical existence of greed, corrupt immoral behaviors. Now totally ignoring all good advise from people who truly loved me , my direction, my future seemed bleak. People began giving up, in turn my sick mind fueled thoughts of God not just giving up but justifying that there was no existence of a God at all. My corrupt alcoholic infested mind became my own concept of a god that served me & me only. When the consiqences started demanding repayment of my folly , desperation set in. What was I to do? Suicide? Never, my ego was still inflated to delusional, unrealistic proportions. The battle continued, I was hopeless, facing the uglyness of the death due to me , I still had the arrogance to think it was cool to accept this so called hono. Man I was sick! God's love for me is so great so emense so pure. He opened my eyes to a people who showed undeserved love to me, a love that sustained me till I was able to love my self. This is when I found Alcoholics Anonymous, how could this not be God's will for me, in this moment of clarity I saw through the smoke. My eyes were opened, in these steps I found that I am worthy. A new life, a rebirth. Being good in my spiritual nature, with God's Grace I'm reborn into His child, a child of God, as my Father He deals with consiqences. That I now realize I have let go, let go of self, self seeking, self gratifing behaviors. I can live in His Will not my human will, my human will is full of evil and destructiveness . In His Will I have found peace in the true sense. This must be my Guide in life. Living in the Will of my loving God. Now I know, God's Will not mine be done! Peace my friend, my guide, you have helped usher me back into the Will of our God. Amen !
ReplyDeleteDon thank you so much for your experience of your life as it was and your life as it is..Thanks also for your appreciation...Armand
ReplyDelete