Monday, January 19, 2015

Reliance Not Defiance

                            In the Big Book of alcoholics Anonymous it says "when we encountered A A the fallacy of our defiance was revealed.  At no time had we asked what God's will was for us.  Instead we had been telling God what it ought to be.  No man we saw could believe in God and defy God.  Belief meant RELIANCE NOT DEFIANCE.  We saw them meet and transcend their other pains and trials.  We saw them accept impossible situations, seeking neither to run nor recriminate.  This was not only faith, but faith that worked under all conditions.  We soon concluded that whatever price in humility we must pay, we would pay."
                 Reliance upon God is the basis of the program of Alcoholics Anonymous and humility is the key that unlocks the door to the grace of God.  The Twelve Steps of A A moves us from developing a faith in God into trusting in God and finally a true reliance upon God in every area of our life.  This relationship with God allows us to transcend the travails of life in such a way that we are not self centered and caught in our own needs and problems but rather trusting in the will of God as it unfolds in our life freeing us to be open to the world around us and sensitive to the needs of others.    

3 comments:

  1. Alone and living as the arbiter of my own will, I am inherently defiant. Not to the point of isolation and overt anger but, nonetheless, reliant solely on my own resources and, therefore, defiant to the core. As you point out, alcohol took me to my knees, defiant to the last swallow. AA became the first stop on a new road to a loving partnership with the world. The Twelve Steps introduced me to the possibility of personal relationship on which I could rely to guide me through life. In many ways, this became the first freedom I had ever known. Throughout the years, this reliance had grown to be the most important part of my life. It provides me with the comfort and peace of mind I need to be helpful to others I meet along the way.

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  2. Michael just love when you wrote "AA became the first stop on a new road to a loving partnership with the world." True reliance on God is where an alcoholic must live to recover from alcoholism and to be a loving contributor to those around them...Thanks...Armand

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