Even More Recovery Readings and Meditations - January

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January 25

Step by Step

Today: “Courage to change the things I can,” the command of the Serenity Prayer that WE – not our Higher Power – take on those things we CAN change. Though our options might be limited, the one thing we CAN change, even control, is our attitude and how we integrate into this day, how we react and respond. Thus, today I will not take the easier, softer way and complain about ANYTHING the day serves up and, instead, I will start with the POSITIVE by willing myself to make this day good and that nothing in it will poison the rest of the day. If there is something I do not want to do, I will do it, if for no other reason than to have it done and over with and earn the luxury to say one more bad chore is done. For some, negativity and complaining can be an excuse in disguise to get out of our obligation to sobriety. Today, I am positive, not negative, and this day WILL be good. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

HIGHER POWER

Our need is God’s opportunity!

~ Anonymous ~

Finding a Higher Power is as simple as seeking God. We learn in our 12 Step Program that God can, and will, lead us to solutions if He is sought. Such a search need be only fifteen inches—the distance from brain to heart.

We must feel, as well as recognize, our Higher Power. We will never fully under-stand God. If God were within mere man’s understanding, God would never be great enough to grant us our needs. Our first gift from a Higher Power was the capacity to know and accept the truth that we were not running our entire world.

It took us many years of running the show before we realized that all our human effort could not help us with our addiction.

I not only thank God for my Program, but I thank the Program for bringing me to God.

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes late.

~ Felix Frankfurter ~

A sure sign of true growth and change is the appearance of regret and grief that such wisdom came so late. Often, when we deeply understand something for the first time or make a real change that improves our lives, we wish we had learned this a long time ago. We mourn the losses and the pain that could have been avoided if we had only seen the light sooner.

However, a good life always brings change and growth. The greatest tragedy is when a man never grows and never sees the light. We always see more clearly after we learn something new, and the regret that accompanies it is inevitable. With enough distance and perspective, most of us reach the point where we say, I wouldn’t change it if I could.

Today I am grateful for the wisdom I have gained, and I will continue to seek more growth.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

I believe that every single event in life happens as an opportunity to choose love over fear.

~ Oprah Winfrey ~

When our past is strewn with tragic and abusive experiences, it’s not easy to recall events as opportunities to love. Yet today we are safe, and we have come to believe a Higher Power has been watching over us every moment. Through the principles of this program, we are learning to forgive and to trust that we will always be cared for.

We cannot change the past. What happened and how we responded helped carry us to this point in our journey. We can cultivate love, now, for the present. The people who care for us will support us. The experiences designed for our progress will come to us. Our Higher Power will never leave our side. We can be free of fear today, if that’s our wish.
I will not fear the events in my life today. I am ready for them. They need my involvement.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I need to accept the help professionals can give me

I never liked doctors. I hate being sick. I resent the loss of control and feeling so vulnerable.

Well, I’m sick again. I have an addiction and a psychiatric illness. And I am faced with not just a doctor, but with counselors, therapists, case managers, and social workers. I don’t want to be sick, to lose control, to need help. But after long denying my illnesses and struggling on my own, I can see that I need professional help. I wouldn’t be here if I could have done it on my own.

I will read about Step Two today and pray for the willingness to trust.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Pray to God, row to shore.

~ Anonymous ~

The sign in the antique store showed a fisher-man in a rowboat being tossed about in a storm. The message was clear: the fisherman may have great faith, but now was not the time to put away the oars and kneel in prayer — it was time to pray and row!

Sometimes we find ourselves in a storm of trouble, a sea of problems, and we want God to get us out. We may even pray, “God, get me out of this mess.” But like the man in the rowboat, the way out is not just by praying to God. The way out is to pray, ask for help, and take action — do something to help ourselves.

Praying to God won’t keep us sober if we don’t also go to Twelve Step meetings. Praying to God to heal our relationships with others won’t help unless we’re willing to make amends. Health and recovery are a combination of prayer, communication with our Higher Power, and a commitment to do our part.

Today help me pray and take action.

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

And remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.

~ Emily Kimbrough ~

Coping with the challenges of recovery depends not only upon your inner resources, but also upon your relationships with the people in your life. The more people available to you who can offer help and guidance, the healthier you are likely to be. Being a member of a self-help group provides you with a wonderful fellowship of like-minded individuals. These are people who understand what you are feeling. You can call upon them when you are craving a drink or drug. They can help you make it through each day, free from your habit.

Take time today to assess who you can contact when you are in crisis. Maybe you have not had the time to ask a fellow member to be your sponsor. Or perhaps you are new to the program and shy about reaching out to others.

Create a Help List of members’ telephone numbers and e-mail addresses you can use during a time of difficulty. If there is no one for you to call or e-mail, then reach out today at a meeting and ask for contact information.

Today I will create a Help List of people who can be there for me. Through their support, I will know that I am not alone.

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~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly.

~ Julie Andrews ~

If we think of the word discipline, we might visualize forms of punishment or reprimand from teachers, parents, or bosses. Yet discipline doesn’t have to be negative or an effort in blood, sweat, and tears. Discipline can be the structure we need in order to achieve our goals.

Within the program are disciplines to follow to achieve our goal of a renewed outlook on life. The Steps are probably the greatest discipline, for they provide a framework to formulate more positive beliefs about ourselves and our lives. Going to meetings is another discipline that helps keep us on track as we learn and grow. There are other disciplines, too- sharing with others, reading literature, becoming committed to a group, and practicing the program’s principles in all our affairs. All these disciplines keep us focused on our ultimate goal: freedom from all past obsessions and negativity. With the discipline of the program, we can learn to fly.

I can discipline myself to remain focused on the program. I know the benefits of such discipline.

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~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Being open

Sometimes we think we’re supposed to have more recovery under our belts. Perhaps we feel the need to impress our peers with our success in staying off mind-altering chemicals. But perhaps we are really just trying to convince ourselves. We know how difficult recovery is, and surely our Higher Power is not fooled by our pretense of well-being.

If we try to hide our problems, we cannot get help for them. To get help we must tell people where we’re really at. No one can read a closed book.

Am I open with others?

Higher Power, help me believe in the saying, “Ask and you shall receive.”

Today I will be more open and honest about

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

Day in, day out
I hunger and
I struggle

~ SAPPHO ~

Newcomer

I have so many problems. I have debts. I feel anxious and shaky at work. Meanwhile, friends and family members expect me to be the same person I’ve always been. I’m totally overwhelmed.

Sponsor

In recovery we have a future to look forward to. Over time, we learn new ways to approach situations that trouble us. But we can’t do anything differently if we’re still in the throes of our disease. We cannot rush recovery.

You can learn to treat yourself gently, as you would a baby or a kitten, or a sick or injured person lying in a hospital bed. You wouldn’t yell at such a person, Get up! You have work to do! Stop wasting time! You’d be tender and understanding. You would not begrudge a baby, or someone recovering from illness, time for rest, food, or medicine. Taking some time for meetings is essential to the healing process. Prayer and meditation can help calm you when you feel overwhelmed.

We are entitled to take time for recovery.

Today, I treat myself tenderly and patiently. I deserve to recover. I allow myself time for healing.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

AA has had its remarkable growth not because of its affluence but because of its influence.

The eyes of the world are upon us for we stand out as the lone hope of a world driven to despair by alcohol.

Our every action is watched by those needing our program desperately. What will your influence be on them? Will you be a steppingstone or a stumbling block?

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~ WALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG BOOK ~ (Official & Unofficial Sloganeering From the 12 Step Programs) ~

1) Grace is getting what you don’t deserve and mercy is not getting what you do deserve.

2) The first step in overcoming mistakes is to admit them.

3) Selfish or Serving

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Possibilities Prayer

I know, dear God, that my part in this Program is going to be a thrilling and endless adventure. Despite all that has happened to me already, I know that I have just begun to grow. I have just begun to open to Your love. I have just begun to touch the varied lives You are using me to change. I have just begun to sense the possibilities ahead. And these possibilities, I am convinced, will continue to unfold into ever new and richer adventures, not only for the rest of my reborn days but also through eternity.

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

THE LAW OF SUBCONSCIOUS ACTIVITY

As soon as the subconscious mind accepts any idea, it immediately begins trying to put it into effect. It uses all its resources (and these are far greater than is commonly supposed) to that end. It uses every bit of knowledge that you have ever collected, most of which you have totally forgotten, to bring about its purpose. It mobilizes the many mental powers that you possess, most of which you never consciously use. It draws on the unlimited energy of the race mind. It lines up all the laws of nature as they operate both inside and outside of you, to get its way.

Sometimes it succeeds in its purpose immediately. Sometimes it takes a little time, sometimes it takes a long time; but if the thing is not utterly impossible, the subconscious will bring it about—once it accepts the idea.

This law is true for both good and bad ideas. This law, when used negatively, brings sickness, trouble, and failure; and when used positively, brings healing, freedom, and success. We give the orders, the subconscious does the work.

. . . his secret is with the righteous (Proverbs 3:32)

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Tuck in That Ball

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine.

~ Jesus Christ ~

In the 1993 Super Bowl, a strange and astounding play occurred. Late in the game, a Dallas Cowboys lineman intercepted a pass. Such a play is a freak, since linemen are essentially blockers and hardly ever touch the football. Seeing no tacklers, the 300-pound fellow went into ecstasy as he ran like mad in pursuit of the only touchdown he would probably ever make. Yards from the goal line, he raised the foot–ball triumphantly—but just a little too soon. The lineman did not see a tackier approaching from behind, and soon he was sprawled on the three-yard line, the football bounding away from him. When he looked up, he saw that the football had been recovered by the opposing team.

In the early stages of a project, it is wise to keep our thoughts and energies contained, not waving in the air. If we expose our intimate visions to negative influences, we may be knocked down or lose momentum. Jesus advised us, “Do not cast pearls before swine.” He was not referring to people as swine, but the ravaging effects of judgmental or doubtful thinking. No one in the outer world has power over us, but if our own vision has not yet gelled, we must nourish it before sending it out into the world. When a farmer plants a tree in a field, he builds a fence to protect it from being trampled by cattle. After the tree has grown strong and firm, the fence is removed, and the cattle can scratch their backs against it and rest in its shade.

Honor your tender thoughts and dreams by surrounding them with a protective womb. Then when they are born, they will bless everyone.

Great Spirit, help me to hold my visions like an unborn child. Help me protect my child so it will emerge in full strength, health, and vitality.

I honor my tender thoughts, feelings, and visions. I surround myself with people, energies, and influences for success.