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.
Written By Armand
My experience is that somehow at some time we get to know. It isn't, however, an intellectual understanding. Instead, it's an opening of the spirit to the deepest part of me wherein lives The Power Within. Living daily with that certainty leads to Inspirarion exactly as you defined it. But time takes time. To first make the final choice to turn my thinking and my behavior over to the care of the remaining Steps was the key that opened my heart to The Presence-in-this-moment of That Power. By then incorporating The Steps into my life in such a way that they became my life, I believe I have knowledge of His Will for me. It is only in full abandonment of my human nature that I receive the power to carry my life out in the way it was intended. The power from The Power, the person I was born to be.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Well said. I was blessed when I came to my first meeting. First, growing up I saw the life cycle of an alcoholic from a promising life to a life of turmoil and frustration and eventual premature death. Because I am smart and I "knew" alcoholism, I could avoid it. I was wrong. Second, I already believed in a Creator who is love and can do all things. But I did not have a personal relationship with God mainly because I didn't know I could. Third, my pain of staying the same became greater than the pain of making changes in my life. So I walked into the rooms of AA with Step 1 through 3 without even knowing it. What I was missing was the instruction needed, and I was willing to do whatever was needed to stop hurting. The decades I suffered from uncontrollable alcoholism is the price I needed to pay in order for me to be willing to make The Decision to turn my will and life over to the care of God. Now doing it well is another story.
ReplyDeleteI have made a decision to turn my will and life over to the care of God, to turn over my thoughts & behaviors and to release my fears. I am seeking a life filled with peace, contentment and joy. Self-reliance has failed me, living in self-will, self-reliance can hardly be a success, I need God’s guidance and direction, my will aligned with gods will for me, when I seek, it is then that I find. I continue to seek a spiritual solution. Thy will be done.
ReplyDeleteMichael Anyone who says that time doesn't matter in AA doesn't have any time. In "How It Works" it says 'abandon yourself to God." Even if we are willing to abandon ourselves to God it does take time to experience the pervasiveness of our human nature and the depth of what must be surrendered...Thank you...Armand
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ReplyDeleteArmand, another great topic.
No matter how far along the path I have traveled, Gods will too often seems 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... surrounded by an overriding fear of the impending loss of some person, place or thing that I have invariably put in His place upon the seat of 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 less is tantamount to trying to climb a ladder with no rungs with the expectation of reaching the roof. The source of that power 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 building 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 Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic willingness to live in the will of God is a desire that emanates from our innermost self fueled by the grace of God...Thank you...Armand
DeleteGreat message gratefully recovering alcoholic.
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ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Well said. I was blessed when I came to my first meeting. First, growing up I saw the life cycle of an alcoholic from a promising life to a life of turmoil and frustration and eventual premature death. Because I am smart and I "knew" alcoholism, I could avoid it. I was wrong. Second, I already believed in a Creator who is love and can do all things. But I did not have a personal relationship with God mainly because I didn't know I could. Third, my pain of staying the same became greater than the pain of making changes in my life. So I walked into the rooms of AA with Step 1 through 3 without even knowing it. What I was missing was the instruction needed, and I was willing to do whatever was needed to stop hurting. The decades I suffered from uncontrollable alcoholism is the price I needed to pay in order for me to be willing to make The Decision to turn my will and life over to the care of God. Now doing it well is another story.
Jim
Jim your personal story is helpful to us all. A life offered is all one can do. Experience is the teacher of that which is still not surrendered but must be...Thank you....Armand
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ReplyDeleteI have made a decision to turn my will and life over to the care of God, to turn over my thoughts & behaviors and to release my fears. I am seeking a life filled with peace, contentment and joy. Self-reliance has failed me, living in self-will, self-reliance can hardly be a success, I need God’s guidance and direction, my will aligned with gods will for me, when I seek, it is then that I find. I continue to seek a spiritual solution. Thy will be done.
Jessica
Jessica love when you wrote when I seek, it is then that I find. The seeking is humility displayed and humility is the key that unlocks the door to the grace of God...Thank you...Armand
DeleteFor me Gods will is the truth unaffected by ego. Ego is edging God out. Yet my ego wants to jump in all the time and have an opinion. It usually backfires. Therefore today I have to be in a place where I can be of maximum service to God hmmm what dies that mean? I know when I am being that by how I feel and how the world and it’s people look. It’s contingent on the maintenance of my spiritual connection. Pages 86 and 87 tell me what I need to do and that the proper use of the will iis guided by God.
ReplyDeleteAnne in Bill's story Bill says " it meant destruction of self centeredness. We had to turn to the light in all things." As you write "God's will unaffected by ego"...Thank you...Armand
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