Recovery Reflections: May 24, 2017
Hello everyone! My name is Bianka. I would like to give you another warm welcome to Detox to Rehab’s Recovery Reflections. Please join us and listen to the experience, strength and hope shared by Madison, Brandon, and Megan.
We will pre-record readings from Alcoholics Anonymous: Daily Reflections. We express how this reading has helped our recovery or how it has impacted us. We thank you and hope we can inspire your recovery journey!
Alcoholics Anonymous
May 24, 2017: Happy, Joyous, and Free
We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us. But it is clear that we made our own misery. God didn’t do it. Avoid then, the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, cheerfully capitalize it as an opportunity to demonstrate His omnipotence.
— Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 133
For years I believed in a punishing God and blamed Him for my misery. I have learned that I must lay down the “weapons” of self in order to pick up the “tools” of the A.A. program. I do not struggle with the program because it is a gift and I have never struggled when receiving a gift. If I sometimes keep on struggling, it is because I’m still hanging onto my old ideas and “. . . the results are nil.”
Let Go and Chose Recovery
“The only time you do have freedom is when you let go and trust in something else,” Megan said.
When I was in active addiction, using heroin every second of the day, I didn’t understand why I couldn’t be free from this drug and the life I was living. It got to the point where I was willing to do anything to stay sober and recover, but I didn’t really know how or where to start. I thought back to what the 12-step program has taught me when I attempted sobriety before, but wasn’t ready, and I realized I needed to let go. I needed to let go of the people I was hanging around, the situations I was putting myself in, and the negative thoughts and the ideas I had that were destructive.
“I’m finally able to let go of myself and all the fear that is controlling me,” Madison said.
I was trying to let go but I needed help; I couldn’t do it on my own, and there was something missing. I was so lost and alone, fearful of what the next day would bring so I decided I would go into a 12-step meeting and ask for help. I asked for help and I got a sponsor right away and we started working the 12-steps. I figured out what I was missing and that was a power greater than myself that can restore me to sanity, that power is what I call God. When I allowed God into my life, I truly did something special and was finally able to let go of what I needed to in order to move on in my life in a positive way.
Recovery gave me Gratitude
“I don’t have to be so hard on myself or take things so seriously,” Madison said.
As I let go of what I needed to, so I could move on in my life, I could stop being so hard on myself. I let go of the hateful, dishonest and selfish person I was in active addiction and became who I have always dreamed of being. I don’t beat myself up over simple mistakes anymore, I am able to learn from them and move on. In hectic situations, I have learned how to take a break, laugh a little and take it easy. I have learned a completely new way of life, a life I never dreamed of being possible.
“I’m right where I am supposed to be and I can’t be in any other place then right where I am supposed to be because it is where I am at,” Brandon said.
I am living life to the fullest and living in Gods will. There are days where I am angry and discontent. In a day like that, I need to remember to take a step back, pray and count my blessings. There is nothing so horrible in a life of recovery that is worse than a life of abusing drugs. I need to remind myself that if I am living in God’s will, then there are things that are happening for a reason, and I need to accept the things I cannot change.
“I’m grateful today that I don’t have to use and I don’t have to drink to be okay,” Brandon said.
I sometimes forget where I came from and constantly need to remind myself that nothing is worse than where I was. I need to find time in every day to count my blessings and thank God I do not have to live my life being suffocated with drugs and alcohol. If you or a loved one are done being suffocated by drugs and alcohol, we are here to help. Give us a call:(866) 578-7471
