Wisdom For Today - June

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June 21

Wisdom for Today
Making restitution is the next principle of the program. This is something that is not always easy, and many of us want to avoid. We must swallow our pride and go to the people we have harmed and attempt to undo the damage and repair what we can. Here again we do inventory, not of ourselves, but of how our attitude, behavior and beliefs have affected others. We make a list and then set about to rectify the problems we have caused. We pay back what we have taken, and we let others know how we have wronged them. We make a genuine attempt to rebuild the bridges we have burned.
As difficult as this process may be, the rewards we gain are even greater. Even when the apology is not accepted, it is important that we extend the effort. All of these efforts are made not just to repair the damage done, but also to relieve us from the burdens or guilt and shame we carry. Often times we find that this process if genuine and done in humility can change years of anger, frustration and even hate by others we have harmed into friendship and reconciliation. Here we often find forgiveness. Here we find love reborn. Here mending broken fences makes good neighbors. But most of all we find our conscience is cleared. Have I done my best at making restitution to those I have wronged?
Meditations for the Heart
Living a spiritual life brings joy and peace of mind. If these are not present in your life there is still spiritual growth to be done. Here we must stretch our faith and learn to grow along spiritual lines. This growth may come slowly or happen quite rapidly. We look to remove any roadblocks that stand in the way of expanding our spiritual growth. We remove self-reliance and replace it with reliance on a Higher Power. We remove doubt and replace it with trust. We remove grandiosity and replace it with humility. We remove fear and replace it with the security of knowing that we have a strong foundation in the program. Over time as we work the steps and live the program, we experience a spiritual awakening. The sleep of addiction is replaced by a brilliant awareness of a new light in our life. Have I found joy and peace of mind?
Petitions to my Higher Power
God,
Give me the courage this day that I might need to do the repair work still needed in my life. Help me to find a genuine desire to fix the brokenness of the lives I have harmed along the road of destruction that addiction is. Let me become willing to make any restitution I may need to. Give me strength in this part of my journey in recovery.
Amen