Sunday, September 16, 2007

Faith Without Works is Dead P14,P76, P88

Belief in the power of God, plus enough willingness, honesty and humility to establish and maintain the new order of things, were the essential requirements. P13/14

Simple, but not easy; a price had to be paid. It meant destruction of self-centeredness. I must turn in all things to the Father of Light who presides over us all.P14

My friend had emphasized the absolute necessity of demonstrating these principles in all my affairs. Particularly was it imperative to work with others as he had worked with me. Faith without works was dead, he said. And how appallingly true for the alcoholic! For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, he could not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead. If he did not work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely die. Then faith would be dead indeed. With us it is just like that.P14/15

In the AA message there are lots of essentials and musts
and requirements, to follow, the result is freedom

Belief in the Power of God PLUS
This means I must believe in a Power Greater than me
This could be what ever it is that keeps AA's sober

It also says the Father of Light, not the grim reaper

It also says who presides over us all, thats all of us,
including you and me and the neighbours

It says absolute necessity, that means its absolutely necessary
that means just do it, no questions

It was imperative to work with others and "she" has worked with me
That means I must work my ass of with newcomers, excersizing
patience, tolerence and pity... and pass on everything I have been given

Faith without works was dead. This means just believing in
the Power of God, Loving God and knowing God is not enough.
I must WORK for him
Do Gods Will, in all my affairs, Gods Work

How appalingly true for the alcoholic... thats cos we
are such selfsih, selfseeking, manipulative people
that if I could just get well and get away with it
and remember it all... i would... mmm
But I cant, i know this, and so I works with the newcomers
Like the comfy starry eyed energy filled attractive people I see

If I didnt do the enlarging and (at times) self sacrifice
for others... I know I wouldnt have survived and lived
through the low spots I have had

I know if I drink again I will die
All the love I have will die
All the wonder I have will die
All the faith I have will die
Dying isnt just a physical death
Although I am sure I would not last very long
Mentally or Physically
I am sure for me too its just like that

So why take the risk
Why analyse all this stuff ?
Its easier softer way to just get on and do it

Trust God
Clean house
Help others

I really want the opportunity to try this course God
I wonder if its in your plan

Just my experience of how I choose
to let it keep me in line
just my interpretation
My choice if I choose to act on the
musts, essentials and absolute necessities
Its my recovery

Take care
:)

5 comments:

An Irish Friend of Bill said...

There is nothing more to life than giving.
See groundhog day.
Any life lived in the absense of 'giving' is a life not worth having. Well thats what i think. a spirit of generosity is everything. Without it, it is a very grey lacklustre world.
"Helping others IS the foundation of your recovery". ie not something you do at the weekends. Or something you reserve for newcomers. It is an ATTITUDE. A service mindset. ALL life situations can be viewed as 'An opportunity for service"
Just requires a little imagination. Thats all.
So basically. Yeah. i agree.

Syd said...

Trust God
Clean House
Help Others

What a great summary. This recovery thing is wonderful. Every day is a new day and a grand one.

Anonymous said...

Faith without works is dead-this was the reminder I needed.

Thanks...

molly said...

love the post.. When I say if I drink again I will die I tended to mean in the physical - such as drink, get drunk, die in car crash.. BUT I realize now that I will die emotionally and mentally again.. I was dead in that regard at the very end. The emotional and mental part of me was dead - it was my rock bottom. For others rock bottom may have meant losing things or work or relationships and those things weren't far off. I've wondered if my rock bottom wasn't low enough b/c there weren't visual consequences. But my lord were there ever emotional and mental for me. Gosh - I really needed to understand this I think. Thank you!!! You've helped this newcomer today! BIG GRIN. Hope this makes some kind of sense - I tend to ramble when I have an "AHA!" moment. :)

Determined1 said...

You have helped me today too :-)