I am often asked, "HOW will I know what God's will for me is???." 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 hit our souls we do not need to run it by our intellect to know it is indeed the Truth.
Although we are not yet capable of turning our will and our life over to the care of God in Step Three, we are capable of making a decision - a final choice - to do so. Deciding from this day forward we are willing to overturn our thought processes that are propelled by our human instincts in order that they may be ruled only by the will of God - which is received through inspiration.
If you have already made that decision, may God bless you and may He keep you. If you have not, perhaps now (this moment, right now) would be the time for you to make it... to turn your thoughts and your behaviors over to the care of God and begin to live a life of peace and a life of pure, unimpeachable joy.
I agree that the horse has be put before the cart in answering this ultimate question. My experience is that His Will for me is a roadblock, a mystery of sorts, a conundrum if I haven't done the work necessary to connect personally with The Power Within me, as empowered by The Steps, especially Step Three. For me, the path to His Will runs through.The Steps. In Step Three, making the final choice to turn my thoughts and my actions over to a Power Greater than me (but within me) was and is the key that unlocks the remainder of the Program of Revovery. Again, it's only my experience but knowledge of His Will for me is available and attainable. It's the Power to carry it out that is the measure of my conscious contact and, therefore, my recovery. Finally, the rhythm needed to grow more certain in the question of His Will for me comes from the daily practice of love and service - the work. But it feels far better than any other work I've ever done.
ReplyDeleteMichael when an alcoholic surrenders their human nature to the will of god they will have achieved perfection as they are now the human being that God created them to be. A life lived there is a life lived free of the bondage of self...Thank you so much Michael...Armand
ReplyDeleteThis Comment Is From A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
ReplyDeleteArmand,
Thanks for sharing.
"Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." True humility is the state of being required to admit that my life up to this point is best described as the mindless meanderings of a madman. Without that admission and the humility it requires, any exercise of faith towards any person, place or thing, by this alcoholic, is a very harmful proposition indeed. On the one hand I think of Moses, who believing he was born for a "special purpose" misappropriated his appointment with divine destiny, killed an Egyptian, fled to the desert, was mercifully reduced to a shepherd for 40 years. Until, it is written, he "became the humblest man on the earth." It was only then and after he had learned to be gentle and caring with a flock of sheep in the wilderness that he was deemed fit to be used by the Lord to lead Gods people to the promised land. And with a patience and love for them that rivaled God Himself.
Then I ponder Saul of Tarsus, otherwise known as St. Paul, who acting out with self confessed rage and misplaced religious zeal and, "persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it."... That is, until his Damascus Road experience and instantaneous conversion which resulted in the rebirth of arguably the greatest messenger of the gospel the world has ever known. In each of these examples although a heart was broken and pride was crushed; the talents, personality, culture and even passions that formed their unique identity were preserved and even enhanced as their faith now possessed the right disposition to be used by God.
So whether my willingness to follow the Master takes forty years (it almost did), or occurs in an instant in time, it was true humility that opened the door to a decision that has lead to an ocean of Living Water and fathomless love, and like you, an almost indescribable empathy and deep desire that all who are seeking recoveries greatest gift, humbly reach out and receive what is so freely given and can never be taken away.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic Grateful that you were and still are there for me. Humility is the key that unlocks the door to the grace of God...Thank you...Armand
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