Wisdom for Today - January 16, 2008

Wisdom for Today
In submitting my character defects to my Higher Power, I developed hope. I began to feel that my life no longer had to be lived by the old rules. This sense of hope was much like I had experienced when I first came into the program. When I first got clean and sober, I saw other people making it. I saw the old timers, who had longer-term recovery. When I listened to their stories, I began to feel, “If they can make it, so can I.” I began to see that they had managed to let go of the old rules and old behavior. I thought that I had a chance to do this also.
What I found out was letting go of my defects was much like letting go of alcohol and drugs, only harder. This was true probably because many of these attitudes, behaviors and beliefs had been with me much longer, and because some of them I simply enjoyed. But if I wanted to gain a true sense of character, then I would have to stop acting like a defect. I also needed to look for progress and not perfection. My defects of character did not simply disappear because I said a prayer; I had to put into action what my Higher Power wanted for me. Slowly, over time, my defects of character became less and less problematic. My hope that I could be rid of the old rules strengthened. Do I have a strong grasp on hope?

Meditations for the Heart
In God’s world there is perfect hope and perfect harmony. Yet in this physical world I have come to realize that I can never have perfect hope or perfect harmony with my Higher Power. Life in recovery is not so much about being better, but about becoming better. Sometimes I have felt that God has let me down. I have seen others in the program and myself want to blame our failures on God. “He let me down.” But the truth is that God does not fail. It is because we are not in harmony with our Higher Power that we fail. I have had to accept the fact that sometimes I fail. In these times I need to seek to get back into harmony with God. Back to basics, if I am to become better! I need to work to stay in harmony with my Higher Power. Am I working to stay in harmony with my Higher Power?

Petitions to my Higher Power
God,
Today is a new day, and again You have gifted me with a clean and sober start to my day. Help me this day to strive for harmony with You. Let me take one thing at a time as I walk through this day. Help me to become better in all that I do. Let me this day work at letting go of the old rules and live by Your new rules for my life.
Amen.