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
Michael C.
ReplyDeleteThis is a big question the answer to which became clear to me when it became practical rather than theoretical. For me, the answer had to be non-negotionable. Having been raised on the notion of God, my soul was still missing the presence of a trusted, comfortable, actionable, definable Power. I looked in all the suspected places including the bars and bottles which acted as a substitute. It was only by hitting bottom that I was enabled to raise The Power Within me. By integrating all Twelve Steps into my life in such a way that they became my life, I no longer had to wonder or ponder. I simply had to accept and welcome. Thus, “knowing” was not relegated to my mind but elevated to my spirit. An awakened spirit accepts and answers all questions. The awareness of The Power Within me and within all of us has given me certainty and peace. There is no doubt in my answer when asked “how will I know.” I will be told and shown the way.
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Michael love when you wrote "the knowing was not regulated to my mind but elevated to my spirit."...Thank you...Armand
DeleteArmand,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
"Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” As the previous words confess, 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 absolute 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”, and he was... misappropriated his appointment with divine destiny, killed an Egyptian, fled to the desert, was mercifully reduced from prince 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 is true humility that open's 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. No, God’s will is not hidden for He clearly proclaims in Ephesians 5:15-20, "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic great scripture Ephesians5:15-20. an apt description of you, my Brother...Thank you...Armand
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