Power...

I was recently at a meeting.   I heard an old timer (30 years plus) share about still recovering from this disease.  I listened to him share about being one drink away from his next drunk. He shared about it taking so long to get better, about how miserable he was for the first few years.  He was only trying to help. He was sharing what he had to share.  And I love this guy, but I was struck by the effect this had on the newcomers, their body language and their faces said everything.

Then I heard a guy with just over a year share about being recovered.  I listened to him share about having a spiritual experience two weeks into this deal.  He shared about God changing everything.  He shared about helping others and the joy of working with another drunk.  The new guys were all ears they had hope on their faces.  The guy that was sharing was sharing hope.

Remembering where I came from will not keep me sober guys.  The fear of being one drink away from a drunk will not keep me sober.  Again I am depending on myself to train by diseased brain away from the drink with my diseased brain.  My dependence must come from a Higher Power.  Without Him I am nothing.  With Him I have the Power to recover from this disease and stay recovered. More importantly I have the Power to help others.

I am not powerless over people, places, and things.  I have a connection to the Creator of people places and things. I have His Power at work in my life.  I can do anything that He wants me to do, provided I keep close to Him and seek to do His will.

This program is not about powerlessness.  It is not about being careful not to achieve to much, because that might make me stumble.  It is about using all the gifts that God has given me to help others.  It is about Power and nothing but Power.  Not mine but God's...

Are we all just one drink away from a drunk?  Sure... But that is not what I am focused on today.  I am focused on seeking God's Will and doing God's Will.  He will provide what I need.   It doesn't matter to me if that involves sweeping floors or running a corporation, what matters is that it is God's Will and not mine that is important.

My God is an awesome Power, the Power to help others and to live, love, and laugh. But I can't use that if I am going to stay holed up in an AA meeting and focus on the problem.

I'll stop with this from the big book; "Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world regardless of your present circumstances."

Now that is Power!!!