Recovery Reflections: June 7, 2017
Salutations everyone. It’s Christian once again, and I would like to give a warm welcome to Detox to Rehab’s Recovery Reflections. Please join us and listen to the experiences and hopes shared by Madison, Brandon and Josh.
We pre-record readings from Alcoholics Anonymous: Daily Reflections. We express how this reading has helped in recovery and how it is impactful. We thank you and hope that we can inspire your recovery.
As Bill Sees It
June 7, 2017: A New Life
“Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening? No, sobriety is only a bare beginning; If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on. As it does go on, we find that bit by bit we can discard our old life- the one that did not work- for a new life that can and does work under any conditions whatever.”
-As Bill Sees It, p.8
Living Life in Sobriety
“As long as I am progressing in my life and sobriety, and I’m not taking steps backwards, I can have more awakenings and more varieties of a spiritual experience. But I can’t have those if I’m not sober,” Madison had said.
Trying to have a meaningful life experience is hindered by using drugs and alcohol. That’s what spiritual experiences are about: meaningful connections that you have that help you grow into the person that you can be proud of.
Moving forward, not backward is the essence of sobriety, and finding a life in it. Trying find something meaningful in active addiction is impossible, as addiction hinders everything, making you feel empty, as though you are missing something. Sobriety can help find that missing piece and help you with your spiritual journey.
“Either I’m increasing my spiritual awareness and spiritual awakening, and growing and getting all these gifts, or I’m going to drink and use and die,” Josh said.
Growing in your spiritual life isn’t something that just happens because you’re sober. Becoming stagnant and still in your life- without actively trying- is what causes the unfortunate return of old behaviors. Sobriety isn’t a thing that just happens; it’s a lifestyle that must be practiced.
Spirituality is an aspect of active sobriety; it’s an idea that something is greater than yourself. It’s a way to help acknowledge the selfishness of active addiction, and how everything was about yourself and your using. Sobriety isn’t a punishment, but rather a way to actively live a life of fulfillment.
The Journey of Spiritual Enlightenment
“It’s that spiritual part that I have to search for. And I don’t know what that means sometimes, but it’s just the seeking for it, rather than finding it, is where you find meaning,” Josh said.
Seeking that spiritual enlightenment, for that light in your eyes, is one that is a lifetime commitment. Without actively seeking betterment and working the program in your life, you will inevitably revert to old behaviors.
It is not futile to seek a spiritual enlightenment even if you don’t know what that means. It’s the journey to betterment that makes you better than what you are. The journey, not the destination, is what’s important, and it’s one that needs requires faith and work.
“If alcohol was just a symptom of our disease, then being sober is just a part of our solution. We have to constantly grow,” Brandon said.
Addiction is not a slip up of morality: it’s an ugly aspect of a larger problem. Breaking free from the confides of addiction, although important and special, is not going to solve all your problems. You have to actively practice sobriety; nothing changes if nothing changes. Practicing sobriety isn’t just about not using, it’s about actively seeking betterment for yourself.
If you or a loved one is feel that it’s time to begin recovering, check out our website and give us a call. We know what it’s like to be trapped by addiction and want to help in any way possible at: (866) 578-7471
