Latest / Sober Readings / A Unique Stability
Transcript
- Scott Hayes: Hey, welcome back to Sober Readings for another Friday episode. Today is the 27th of February. Today's reading from Daily Reflections, a unique stability. Where does AA get its direction? These practical folk then read tradition 2 and learn that the sole authority in AA is a loving God as he may express himself in the group conscience. The elder statesman is the one who sees the wisdom of the group's decision, who holds no resentment over his reduced status, whose judgment, fortified by considerable experience, is sound. and who is willing to sit quietly on the sidelines patiently awaiting development. That's from 12 Steps and 12 Traditions, pages 132 and 135. Into the fabric of recovery from alcoholism are woven the 12 steps and the 12 traditions. As my recovery progressed, I realized that the new mantle was tailor-made for me. The elders of the group gently offered suggestions when change seemed impossible. Everyone's shared experiences became the substance for treasured friendships. I know that the fellowship is ready and equipped to aid each suffering alcoholic at all crossroads in life. In a world beset by many problems, I find this assurance a unique stability. I cherish the gift of sobriety. I offer God my gratitude for the strength I receive in a fellowship that truly exists for the good of all members. Today's reading from 24 Hours, The AA Thought for the Day. When we came into AA, the first thing we did was to admit that we couldn't do anything about our drinking. We admitted that alcohol had us licked and that we were helpless against it. We never could decide whether or not to take a drink. We always took the drink. And since we couldn't do anything about it ourselves, we put our whole drink problem into the hands of God. We turned the whole thing over to that power greater than ourselves. and we have nothing more to do about it except to trust God to take care of the problem for us. So ask yourself today, have I done this honestly and fully? The Meditation for the Day. This is the time for my spirit to touch the spirit of God. I know that the feeling of this spirit touch is more important than all the sensations of material things. I must seek a silence of spirit touching with God. Just a moment's contact and all the fever of life leaves me. Then I am well, whole, calm and able to arise and minister to others. God's touch is a potent healer. I must feel that touch and sense God's And today's prayer for the day. I pray that the fever of resentment, worry, and fear may melt into nothingness. I pray that health, joy, peace, and serenity may take its place. And finally today a reading from As Bill Sees It. Today I'm going to read from page 246. Instinct to Live. When men and women pour so much alcohol into themselves that they destroy their lives, they commit a most unnatural act. Defying their instinctive desire for self-preservation, they seem bent upon self-destruction. They work against their own deepest instinct. As they are progressively humbled by the terrific beating administered by alcohol, the grace of God can enter them and expel their obsession. Here, Their powerful instinct to live can cooperate fully with their Creator's desire to give them new life. And that's from the Twelve and Twelve, page 64. The central characteristic of the spiritual experience is that it gives the recipient a new and better motivation out of all proportion to any process of discipline, belief, or faith. These experiences cannot make us whole at once. They are a rebirth to a fresh and certain opportunity. That was written in a letter in 1965. And that's it for today's readings. I found this last reading in As Bill Sees It really interesting, especially the title, Instinct to Live, and then in that first paragraph where it talks about destroying our lives and committing a most unnatural act. I think we all have that instinct to live, but for me, for so long, that self-destructive side of me won out over my instinct to live. Until it didn't. And when it didn't, I came into AA. ⁓ and everything changed. And I can't explain how or why that happened. You know, I've heard people say outside of the program that people in AA have been brainwashed into believing in God and believing in this higher power. But I believe that people outside of the program, maybe non-alcoholics, haven't reached that point where we have reached, where self-preservation wasn't even an option at the time. And turning to a higher power or turning to a God was really the only option. And that's really what saved my life. And, you know, we have a saying in the program and it says, what other people think of me is none of my business. And so I think that applies here because what other people think of what I believe doesn't really matter. And it's none of my business because what I believe helps to keep me sober today and helps to keep me alive. I'd love to hear your thoughts and your comments on instinct. to Self-destruction and self-preservation. Send me an email at soberreadingswithscott at gmail.com or go to my website soberreadings.com and fill out the form. And while you're there, if you haven't followed the show yet, click that scrolling red link that says follow the show. And then also if you want to drop a dollar in the donation basket for today's readings, click the donate button. Again, thanks everyone for listening. Hope to see you back here again tomorrow. Take care of yourselves and each other and remember just for today, don't drink, go to a meeting, and keep coming back. Have a great day, and as my friend Larry says, best day ever.