Mar 11 Willpower - Transitions Daily Alcohol Recovery Readings Podcast

Welcome to the Transitions Daily Podcast. Transitions Daily is an online recovery group

that offers a daily distribution of popular recovery resources accompanied by a secret

Facebook group for discussion. We hope you enjoy today's readings.

This is Transitions Daily from March 11th, read by Kurt L. from Albuquerque, New Mexico,

USA. A.A. Thoughts for the Day. Willpower. We A.A.'s know the futility of trying to break

the drinking obsession by willpower alone. However, we do know that it takes great willingness

to adopt A.A.'s 12 steps as a way of life that can restore us to sanity. Bill W. Letter,

1966 as Bill Seaset, page 88. Thought to consider, willingness is doing what I have to, whether

I want to or not. A.A.'s, let go, leave everything to God. Okay? Just for today, powerlessness.

Step 3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood

him. Isn't it true that in all matters touching upon alcohol, each of them has decided to

turn his or her life over to the care protection and guidance of alcoholics anonymous? Already,

a willingness has been achieved to cast out one's own will and one's own ideas about the alcohol

problem in favor of those suggested by A.A. A. Willing newcomer feels sure A.A. is the only

safe harbor for the foundering vessel he has become. Now, if this is not turning one's will

and life over to a new found providence, then what is? 12 steps and 12 traditions, page 35.

Daily reflections. Good, orderly direction. It is when we try to make our will conform with

God's that we begin to use it rightly. To all of us, this was a most wonderful revelation. Our whole

trouble has been the misuse of willpower. We had tried to bombard our problems with it instead of

attempting to bring it into agreement with God's intention for us. To make this increasingly possible is

the purpose of A.A.'s 12 steps and step 3 opens the door. 12 steps and 12 traditions, page 40.

All I have to do is look back at my past to see where myself will has led me. I just don't know

what's best for me and I believe my higher power does. God, G-O-D, which I define as good,

orderly direction, has never let me down, but I have let myself down quite often. Using myself will

in a situation usually has the same result as forcing the wrong piece into a jigsaw puzzle,

exhaustion and frustration. Step 3 opens the door to the rest of the program. When I ask God for

guidance, I know that whatever happens is the best possible situation. Things are exactly as they

are supposed to be. Even if they aren't what I want or expect, God does for me what I cannot do for

myself if I let him. As Bill sees it, truth, the liberator. How truth makes us free is something that

we A.A.'s can well understand. It cut the shackles that once bound us to alcohol. It continues to

release us from conflicts and miseries beyond reckoning. It banishes fear and isolation. The unity

of our fellowship, the love we cherish for each other, the esteem in which the world holds us.

All of these products of the truth which, under God, we have been privileged to perceive.

Just how and when we tell the truth or keep silent can often reveal the difference between

genuine integrity and none at all. Step 9 emphatically cautions us against misusing the truth when

it states, we may direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would it

injure them or others. Because it points up the fact that the truth can be used to injure

as well as to heal. This valuable principle certainly has a wide raging application to the problem

of developing integrity. Great by August 1961. Big book quote, resentment is the number one offender.

It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. Alcoholics anonymous how it works, page 64.

24 hours a day, a thought for the day. By having quiet times each morning, we come to depend on

God's help during the day, especially if we should be tempted to take a drink, and we can honestly

think in each night for the strength He has given us. So our faith is strengthened by these quiet

times of prayer, by listening to other members, by working with other alcoholics, by times of quiet

meditation. Our faith in God gradually becomes strong. Have I turned my drinking problem entirely

over to God without reservations? Meditation for the day. It seems as though when God wants to express

to men what He is like, He makes a very beautiful character. Think of a personality as God's

expression of character attributes. Be as fit and expression of God-like character as you can,

when the beauty of a person's character is impressed upon us, it leaves an image which in turn

reflects through our own actions. So look for beauty of character in those around you.

Prayer for the day. I pray that I may look at great souls until their beauty of character becomes a

part of my soul. I pray that I may reflect this character in my own life. Hazelden Foundation

PO Box 176 Center City, Minnesota 55012. This is Kurt. I'm an alcoholic.

We hope you enjoyed today's readings. You can also receive Transitions Daily via email and

discuss today's readings in our secret Facebook group. So for more information, go to dailyAAmail.com

today. Other than the 24 hours a day reading, unless otherwise specified, all quotes copyright

alcoholics anonymous World Services Inc. 1952 through 2001.