#aa12steps

Today I’m 21 years and seven days sober that is a long time between drinks. I wanted to reflect this last week on what some consider a milestone, but I see as one more day sober or a total of 7,678 days. You may have heard the slogan ‘one day at a time’. If you think about it though, whether alcoholic, addict, overeater, sex addict, normal, ad infinitum that is really all any of us have.

I look at the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous as a gift from God. He worked through the vessels of Bill W. and Dr. Bob to give me a clear path to a Higher Power that has kept me sober one day at a time. If you break the steps down to the simplest terms, you have to admit your powerless, come to believe in a Power greater than yourself and then turn your life over to that Power without reservation. The third step is the hardest in my opinion. I took the third step six times, before I turned my life completely over to the care of God.

Why is it such a difficult step? If I have truly turned my life over to a God of my understanding what does that mean. I have to give up control. Oh no what an order! To me it means that no matter what happens in my life, with whatever label my perception attaches to my reality, it is God’s will. Can I believe that? Here is where the ego comes into play and attempts to take control back. Once the power struggle begins it is really hard to focus on my life objectively. The ego is loud and never ending chatter. Today I have an understanding of my ego and I recognize when it rears itself into my consciousness. That is truly a gift from God. Once I have taken step three the other nine are easily completed.

A pearl of wisdom that has taken me many years to understand is that prayer is a powerful tool, but with all tools action is the key. God has complete control of my life, but I need to take action to achieve my goals and dreams. You may have heard the Bible verse, “Faith without works is dead”. Well, I have to do the work if I want this sober thing to continue. I’m more aware today than ever that God keeps me safe and protected from alcohol. His loving forgiving nature always this human being to live a spiritual life.

When I was five years sober I was working with an alcoholic in the 12 steps and I had a realization, that has stayed with me. All my life I was trying to fill an emptiness in my being with alcohol and drugs. I have come to realize that God is filling that hole today and it was He I was seeking all along.