There is an old Biblical story which relates to having trust in God. When the Jewish people left Egypt, "The Exodus", God had prepared a land for them - The Promised Land. The Promised Land was an eleven day journey from Egypt. Moses sent a scout from each of the twelve tribes to explore The Promised Land and report back. They reported that the area was magnificent, a land flowing with milk and honey, but the people there are powerful and the cities well fortified. What's more, "we saw giants seven to nine feet tall". This caused fear in the people. The only scouts willing to face their fear (by trusting in God) were Caleb and Joshua, both willing to enter The Promised Land. The Jewish people decided not to enter. For the next forty years the Jews wandered around in the wilderness until all those who were over twenty at the time had died. Once again, they stood at The Promised Land and only Caleb and Joshua who were over twenty from forty years ago were allowed to enter as they had been willing to face their fears by trusting in God.
We each have our own exodus from our own addiction. We became weary of wandering around the wilderness alone. We were ill. We were finished. We face our fears by trusting in God and we enter The Promised Land - a land of serenity, peace and joy. Are you ready? Have you come to believe that a power greater than yourself could restore you to sanity? Have you come to trust in that power?
Written By Armand
Written By Armand
Michael C.
ReplyDeleteThe Biblical importance of The Promised Land to the alcoholic could not be more profound, at least to me. Like you, I wandered aimlessly and sadly for years with no real idea of how to find the safety and love I was seeking. Until could wander no longer. Alcohol had driven me to my knees where I finally became willing and ready to live in the land that was awaiting me. It was only by integrating all Twelve Steps into my life in such a way that they became my life that I was welcomed to The Promised Land by The Power Within me. Every alcoholic can experience this vital spiritual experience through the program of recovery that is explicitly outlined in The Big Book. Despite the myriad options and opinions, there is the only program of recovery. It is The Promised Land!
Michael there is a land for all of us who seek it with humility and surrender...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteArmand,
ReplyDeleteI also humbly suggest it’s important to review the previous decisions that have brought me to this place. For each and every one relentlessly attacks my false pride and grandiosity. Step 2, had to reflect my final-admission-to-myself that my thinking and acting out indeed required a Power greater than myself to restore me to sanity…Meaning, I had to admit to a "mental illness of such a severe nature that a person cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot conduct her/his affairs due to psychosis, or is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior.” To the alcoholic, if he or she doesn’t completely agree that they qualify for the first two points of this definition, the last certainly qualifies us.
Step 3, clearly identifies that “ Power” exclusively as God. I had hoped that some theoretical, metaphysical or philosophical “science” would provide an escape hatch allowing me the option to further occupy the throne. That was not in the cards. It was clear to me that If I rejected the clarion call of the original writers, in any way, I was still embedded in the insanely delusional thinking of a chronically-self-possessed-alcoholic-mind. Even though my God given conscience was seared to a cinder at that time, this realization still struck me like a ball pean hammer blow. I had no choice but to begin the process of surrender that Step 3 proclaims and surrender to the following steps that invite God to inhabit the innermost parts of my being.
But, my innermost parts were a festering sore and needed to swept clean.. Step 4, reveals my part in this process as acknowledging all the garbage that I had accumulated in my lifetime of self indulgence and prayerfully ready it for disposal. In Step 5, I confessed all sinful acts, actions and attitudes in a witnessed confession to God Himself... and received God’s mercy and acceptance as he removed every layer of guilt and shame associated with my faults and failures and confirmed my innermost need and desire to have God continual remove these defects of character in Steps 6 and 7..
Once this portion of the process was apprehended, I soon discover that I no longer feared the loss of the life once lived. That life, has been cast, like so much refuse into the trash pail of sinful acts and actions forgiven and forgotten by the Creator of all. An inexplicable shift in paradigm has occurred, the animal appetites need no longer be sated, my unbridled fleshly desires loose their allure, the obsession has been removed. In their place grows a consuming desire to drink at the Masters well.
And so I pray: Gracious God, knowledge of You is my principal purpose and passion. It is my greatest need and most urgent desire. I really want to know You... not just as Creator and Sustainer of the universe but as my Father and Friend. I confess that often my immediate lack of knowledge of You is the direct cause of my insecurity, inconsistency, insufficiency and vacillation in my life and in my prayers.
Lord, I commit this day to seeking to know You better, To open my true self to You; I desire to be real, honest and vulnerable with You; I invite You to invade every aspect of my life. Show me Your will and give me the strength and courage to follow Your guidance. Help me to dedicate myself to making the knowledge of You always my first priority. Reveal Your grace and goodness, Your righteousness and power as life on life's terms becomes a joy filled adventure engaged in frequent visits to the mercy seat of the One who refines me in the fire of Your love. It is a miracle, as a new and unspeakably holy freedom is experienced and explored, the old life has passed away, a new life begun.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
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DeleteA Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic in my morning meditation I surrender my human nature at the foot of the cross offering my cares fears and desires. I ask Him to be the source of every decision made. I learned that from you...Thank you...Armand
DeleteHi Armand,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful message.
Before I came to Alcoholics Anonymous, I was lost in a lost world. I was always trying to find my way. I was never sure where I was going, but I always ended up in the same place. And that was the bitter end.
Eventually, I ended up in AA. After arriving, I realized that I did not get here on my own. I had surrendered!. My talk with the AA nurse helped me to find a power greater than myself. That Power is God. Today I have faith and I trust that God will guide me and direct me in all my affairs and keep me from returning to that "Lost World."
Sid P
Sid the great guitarist from the Eagles, Joe Walsh sings "I was on a runaway train headed for the end of the line.'...Thank you...Armand
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