Daily Reprieve - December

[bluidkiti]

December 16

JOY IN GOD’S WILL

“The joy of living we really have, even under pressure and difficulty.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 15

“The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:17

For what it's worth: Prejudice toward religion had grown in me ever since I started drinking. I was sure talk about living forever by doing the will of God was brain-washing religions did to get people to do what the churches wanted, like put more money in the basket. Removing my prejudice required many sober years in Alcoholics Anonymous, but, finally, my mind opened to understand the difference between religion and spirituality. Now I was free to be truly genuine in my daily practice of the spiritual principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, and my experience taught me the key to a joyful life is doing the will of God. When I choose God’s will over mine, I am absolutely certain to find serenity and peace in my life. When I do not, I will be disturbed all day. Additionally, the harder the decision, the greater the joy.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 17

A MIRACULOUS PROCESS OF HEALING

"The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy." Psalm 28:7 (NLT)

"What is this but a miracle of healing?" Alcoholics Anonymous, page 57

For what it's worth: Alcoholism distanced me from the Lord, all the way to the gates of hell. By the time I arrived there, the disease had butchered my entire being, and only a miracle would heal me. This miracle occurred through years of sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous. The more I lived by the Twelve Steps, the more I felt God's strength. Eventually, with God's help, I grew to trust His love. "What is this but a miracle of healing?". And I have noticed the more I heal the more "my heart is filled with joy". The Twelve Steps are, indeed, a miraculous process of healing. Without them, I would have died, destroyed by this disease.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 18

THE HUMBLE AND GENTLE PRAYER

In all times of emotional disturbance or indecision, we can pause, ask for quiet, and in the stillness simply say: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. 12&12 p.41

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.” Ephesians 4:2

For what it's worth: Alcohol rendered my emotional outbursts frequent and uncontrolled. I would like to believe that years of sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous have made a considerable difference in this area. God knows I have worked hard on this defect, practicing Steps 6 and 7 repeatedly. Still, thank God not often, those I love the most are subjected to my emotional eruptions. I tell myself to keep silent; I try to be patient; I try to apply the Prayer of St. Francis; but, without success. Today, if this arises, I pray my Heavenly Father grant me the patience to be silent and say the humble and gentle prayer, the Serenity Prayer. That will work.

God bless you!
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 19

STOP, RELAX, AND PRAY

“Easy does it.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 135

“He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.” 1 Chronicles 5:20

For what it's worth: I dreaded each day for years, spewing despair all over my already miserable, alcoholic existence. The day I walked into my first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous I felt hope for the first time in years. I sensed peace in the people there. I wanted what they had, so I did what they did. Over the years of staying sober and practicing the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, learning more from my mistakes than my successes, I established a simple rule for myself: stop, relax and pray. When I am anxious, feeling a need to control, in conflict, or life just becomes complicated and cumbersome, I do not rush in recklessly with my old, worthless solutions. Instead, I stop fighting, surrender, and take it easy. Then I take the problem to my Heavenly Father, ask for direction and the next right step, and beg Him to strengthen my trust in His love. My Heavenly Father has proven to me repeatedly that He loves me and will never let me down. So, from there, I go confidently into any storm, knowing, together with my Heavenly Father, I can be at peace no matter what life brings. The catch with this rule of mine is remembering to pause and apply the rule. So, every morning, I ask my Heavenly Father to help me stop and run to Him.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 20

GOD CONFIDENCE

“For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5

“Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 181

For what it's worth: Alcoholism guzzled all spirituality, and I expected no refills. Quickly, the pain of an empty soul demanded I seek relief. Such was not possible until I stopped drinking in Alcoholics Anonymous and developed trust in God. His help and years of sobriety were necessary for this to happen. It started with a simple prayer my sponsor suggested: "please help me". Immediately, God began to teach me to trust His love through all manner of personal experiences I would not have survived sober without His love. Today, I have no doubt my Heavenly Father will never forsake me. He loves me too much. When frustration, lack of acceptance, or anxiety of any type occur, and when I remember to pause, seek His help, and trust His love, my Heavenly Father never lets me down.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 21

A SPIRITUAL ECSTASY

“Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted -- to understand, than to be understood -- to love, than to be loved.” 12&12 p.99

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

For what it's worth: My alcoholism was all about self-satisfaction, not self-sacrifice. My disease dumped me on a lonely short cut to hell’s fire. Instead, I was granted sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, a joyful path to a bit of heaven. I can not take any credit. I do not even recall knocking, but God and Alcoholics Anonymous opened the door for me to escape that miserable self-centered existence and enter a meaningful life of concern for others. Moreover, I was given tools to reach out to others and a special prayer seeking the Lord’s strength to sacrifice self-interest and focus on others, the Prayer of St. Francis. When I practice what I pray, I believe I am closer to the spiritual ecstasy of true love than at any other time.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 22

JUST AS STUBBORN

“So how, exactly, can the willing person continue to turn his will and his life over to the Higher Power?” 12&12, page 39

“He does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” 1 Peter 4:2

For what it's worth: Self-will stubbornly ruled my every motive and behavior during my active alcoholic years. Had I continued having my own way, I would have died a lonely, miserable drunk. It is only by the grace of God I survived and found Alcoholics Anonymous. Once here, a significant change was demanded, namely, not yielding to every impulse and human desire. Since I was totally self-absorbed for years, this is a life-long practice. Each day I must apply my once worthless will power to seeking and doing God’s will, an impossible task except for His love. I meet with my Heavenly Father each new day and beg His help doing His will throughout the day. Surely, I can be just as stubborn doing His will as I was doing my own.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 23

HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS

"And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us." 2 Corinthians 8:5

"Providence, through A.A., had brought us within reach of our highest expectations." 12&12 p.156, Tradition Six

For what it's worth: I expected to die a lonely, miserable drunk, most likely in the gutters of Baltimore with cockroaches crawling all over my stinking body. Instead, God's mercy brought me to a bunch of tricky drunks in Alcoholics Anonymous. Despite my defiance, that tricky bunch got me sober and helped me stay sober. They gave themselves to their Higher Power and to me. They led me to a merciful and loving Heavenly Father. They emphatically exceeded my expectations! Now, Alcoholics Anonymous and my Heavenly Father bring this once worthless drunk within reach of joy on earth and eternal happiness. I do not expect to ever be able to give enough gratitude.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 24

A CHANNEL OF HIS PEACE

"I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." Psalm 40:1-2

"Lord, make me a channel of thy peace...that where there is despair, I may bring hope...that where there are shadows, I may bring light...that where there is sadness, I may bring joy." 12&12 p.99, Step Eleven

For what it's worth: My alcoholism certainly was a "slimy pit". I do not recall asking God, but, in His mercy, "He lifted me out...of the mud and mire" and "gave me a firm place to stand" in Alcoholics Anonymous. After years of sobriety, practicing the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, I was able to ask God to be a channel of his peace. God taught me through my own sober suffering the prayer of Saint Francis also applied to me. When sad, depressed, and even in the shadow of death, I have asked God to make me a channel of his peace, granting me strength to climb out of the "mud and mire" and work with Him to bring hope and joy into my life. I have had to wait patiently at times, but he always hears my cry.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 25

PRINCE OF PEACE

“To those of us who have hitherto known only excitement, depression, or anxiety -- in other words, to all of us -- this newfound peace is a priceless gift.” 12&12 p.74

“For to us a child is born…And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

For what it's worth: Years of alcoholic anxiety convinced me there would be no peace in my miserable existence. I never dreamed getting sober in Alcoholics Anonymous would prove me wrong. Yet, today, even faced with difficult tasks or immersed in trying times, I can feel peace. There is no way I earned this; it is simply a precious, free gift from a loving Heavenly Father. At this time of year I think of it as the Gift of a tiny, helpless Child Who is the Almighty Creator, born in a lowly stable instead of a glorious palace, dependent on Mary and Joseph instead of being the totally independent, omnipotent Lord that He is, ruling His Kingdom. I am completely undeserving of such a humble and priceless gift, yet there He is, lying in a manger - “Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”.

God bless you!
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 26

DOING GOOD IS WELL REWARDED

“…If we remind ourselves that "it is better to comfort than to be comforted, to understand than to be understood, to love than to be loved," we will be following the intent of Step Eleven.” 12&12 p.103

“There will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good.” Romans 2:10

For what it's worth: Doing good was eliminated by self-centered alcoholism, so there was no glory, honor or peace - only shameful drinking. Now, thanks to the Grace of God, doing good is alive and well, vital to my daily practice of the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. Actually, God knew I would need directions on how to do good, so I was given written instructions in the Prayer of St. Francis: give rather than demand comfort, understanding, and love. When I follow the instructions, the “glory and honor and peace” come from God. And, as with every thing else in my Heavenly Father’s way of life, doing good is well rewarded!

God bless you!
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 27

TRUST HIS UNFAILING LOVE

"Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him." Psalm 32:10

"How could men who loved their wives and children be so unthinking, so callous, so cruel?" Alcoholics Anonymous, page 107

For what it's worth: Denial rendered me ignorant of the cause, while the drink rendered me oblivious to the wounds I was inflicting on those I loved. False pride, however, would not allow me to seek help until loneliness and disgrace were unbearable. Finally, after trying everything else without success, I sought help in Alcoholics Anonymous. There, an abundance of talk about God frightened me. After all, I had harmed many of his children. Nevertheless, He must have seen the simple act of walking into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting as a cry for His help. Back then I was too sallow and sick to realize that His mercy and love embraced me immediately. Now, after years of sobriety, practicing the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, my Heavenly Father has taught me about His unconditional love, and, through numerous personal experiences, He has proven I can trust His love. Although I have been "so callous, so cruel" as a drunk, my Heavenly Father's mercy and "unfailing love surrounds" me each and every day, even when I do not feel it.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 28

MOTIVES FOR GOD

"...Nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)

"But be sure you are on solid spiritual ground...and that your motive...is thoroughly good."

Alcoholics Anonymous, page 102

For what it's worth: Even without the drink, my best was superficial not solid spiritual ground, and my motives were always self-centered. Drinking, of course, made it progressively worse. Hell was my eternal destination until God's mercy directed me to Alcoholics Anonymous. Pride and resistance demanded years of sobriety before I was able to even consider doing things for God and others. During that time, my conscience cleared and I became able to recognize selfish motives, and, with the Tenth Step and God's grace, make corrections. Today, only with God's help and years of practice, I can check my motives and "do for the Lord" instead of self. When I do, I cannot help but notice this always works out well for all involved.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 29

THE SCARS OF NEGLECT

"They fail to act wisely or do good." Psalm 36:3

"We took stock honestly." Alcoholics Anonymous, page 64

For what it's worth: If they ever existed, such virtues as being honest, acting wisely, or doing good drowned in alcohol. Attributes such as these were born only after years of sobriety, living the Twelve Steps in Alcoholics Anonymous. The first three Steps prepared me to take stock honestly in my Fourth Step, revealing a major defect, namely, my failure to do the right thing, especially at the right time. I did not "act wisely or do good" for others, often those I loved, and in major areas of my life. This wrong caused devastating and irrevocable consequences for others. The personal price is deep-rooted, unrelenting shame. The treatment is trusting my Heavenly Father’s unconditional love for this once worthless, harmful drunk. I ask Him daily to grant a special blessing to those scarred by my neglect.

God bless you.
Joe W.

[bluidkiti]

December 30

PRACTICE THE GOLDEN RULE

“You will learn the full meaning of ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself.’” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 153

“Love does no harm to its neighbor.” Romans 13:10

For what it's worth: Alcoholism stole my family, friends and love. Life was empty. I expected to die alone, unloved and unloving. But Something unknown to me desired better for this poor, lonely drunk and guided me through circumstances I do not understand to a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. It all stated there. A drop of hope was planted. People welcomed me, shared with me, cared for me, and did not judge me. They even told me I was important to them. For years I had not believed such love existed in the world. But, even as sick as I was, I sensed it in that Alcoholics Anonymous meeting room. As I grew healthy, especially spiritually, the eyes of my soul opened and I had a clear view of the love in our Fellowship. Many years later I see love is alive and well, and I see why: members give it away to keep it. They taught me to return the love, doing for others what was done for me; and, practice the “golden rule”, not only at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, but in life.

God bless you.
Joe W.