Step 2 question - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

OklaBH · 02-26-2011, 07:02 PM

If you already believe in God how does step 2 apply to you? I am definetly a believer in the man upstairs...just put him off for 11 years to get drunk...

BadCompany · 02-26-2011, 08:10 PM

You believe in him, how much do you trust him?

FrothyJay · 02-26-2011, 08:14 PM

Well, it's your conception of God that matters, so if you've already got that, just go with it. But I would encourage you to be open to a new experience with God by working the steps-- you may find that as you go through them, your concept changes a bit, and your relationship shifts.

I was an agnostic who did not absolutely concede in Step 2 that there was a power greater than myself that could restore me to sanity. But I was willing to find out by doing the steps, cause I didn't have many options.

CarolD · 02-26-2011, 09:15 PM

I too came into AA as a non active Christian.

I happily returned to my childhood Sunday School God
of love and forgivness.....

Ergo...the AA Steps did not give me a spiritual awakening
rather a renewal...resulting in a deeper peace and faith.

Hi again...good to see you here in our Step Study Forum

OklaBH · 02-27-2011, 05:03 AM

Did some soul searching and my concept of god is him in a chair keep score on all the things I have done bad in order to confront me with them when I die. That is the God I pictured growing up. Im trying to wrap my head around a Lord that love and understands and wants me to not hurt myself anymore. I guess I cant skip step 2 afterall!

BadCompany · 02-27-2011, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OklaBH

Did some soul searching and my concept of god is him in a chair keep score on all the things I have done bad in order to confront me with them when I die. That is the God I pictured growing up. Im trying to wrap my head around a Lord that love and understands and wants me to not hurt myself anymore. I guess I cant skip step 2 afterall!

Yep, the arbitrary accountant in the sky isn't of much use to us drunks, neither is the fire and brimstone "gonna get you in the end" God. I have no use for a God that is just laying in wait for me to screw up, I need a God that I can turn to when I haven't been doing the right thing. I don't need God when I'm helping some old lady across the street, I need God the most when I've just snapped at my wife for no reason. I need a God that has taken a personal interest in my well being.

BadCompany · 02-27-2011, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolD

I happily returned to my childhood Sunday School God
of love and forgivness.....

It's amazing how many of us drunks forget about easter. We remember all the pillar of salt stuff and all the struck them down with a furious anger crap, but all the forgiveness of easter seems to just have slipped our minds. Ya know when I was a kid they never missed a single year fussing about it in church, I mean they even have lent, the "run up to it', and then palm sunday another precursor to it, but somehow between jack daniels and jim beam easter and all it's meaning just slipped my mind. A holiday like easter is the holiday of a God that has taken a personal interest in my well being. Someone that is watching out for me, that has prepared a place for me.

bdiddy5522 · 02-27-2011, 06:46 AM

For me, step two can be broken down into a few parts. The first step leaves us feeling miserable and defeated. But that is why the second step immediately follows it and gives us hope. First I came (I showed up at meetings), then I came to (the fog lifted), and then I came to believe (believed that the God of my understanding would relieve me from this insanity). The God of my understanding does not and keep score. It sounds like you are a Christian and that is good in my opinion. Jesus died for for our sins. He doesn't expect us to carry the things we did while drinking with us forever. I believe my God has taken then from me and I can wash my hands of them and move on.

Hope this helps. This is how I completed step two anyways.

laurie6781 · 02-27-2011, 06:56 AM

When I arrived in AA at 36 years old, I had left the Catholic Church 22 years prior, so I came in with a very 'warped' vision of a HP or "God as I understood him/her."

I had a discussion with an old timer that happened to be a 'sober' priest. He told me to forget what the Nuns taught me, to forget what I 'thought' they said and instead just look around the meetings I attended, I would 'see' the miracles. And I did see the 'miracles'!!!!!!

I have been able over these many years to conceive of a HP that is loving and kind and allows me to make mistakes.

Prior to this revelation, when I was working Step 2, my sponsor had me look up the definition of the word "insanity." The definition that literally 'popped' out at me was:

"the repetition of acts or actions EXPECTING different results." (The emphasis is mine.)

Ok, I was able to see that my life out there practicing this affliction was INSANITY. Yet here I was, going to many meetings and seeing people that were now sane, or appeared sane, and were productive members of society. So .......................... for my first Step 2 (yes, I have, just for my own benefit worked all the steps several times in these many years) I chose to use the group as a 'source' of returning me to sanity.

And ................................ they did. The folks I met in the different meetings I attended showed me how to become 'civilized again.' Taught me how to become a productive member of society. Taught me how to interact with others SOBER. In reality gave me back a life I had forgotten existed.

Step 2, beyond starting to believe in a HP, is about changing our acts and actions. And when we do, the actions and reactions toward us change also.

J M H O

Hope the above helps.

Love and hugs,

Tommyh · 02-27-2011, 07:24 AM

my conception of God would not keep me sober,so I had to find one that did

FrothyJay · 02-27-2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bballdad

my conception of God would not keep me sober,so I had to find one that did

Well said, bballdad

OklaBH · 02-27-2011, 02:04 PM

I have a new picture of God. One that loves me enough to let me stay on earth for awhile and get sober. He couldve let me die and I would have...no doubt about it. If I continued to drink I would die. For whatever reason he shook my core and gave me another chance.

NewGrowth · 03-03-2011, 09:17 AM

One thing that helped me here, and this is a side-project, not a step replacement:

I wrote a list of what I've been told God is. Long white beard, white, human body, male, big book with lists of good/bad (santa??), hated sex, killed liars and gays.

Then I crossed out everything that *I* did not think God was. There was a lot of black ink on that paper!

Next I wrote what *I* knew of God and what MY concept of God was. It looked very different.

The biggest thing I did was to admit that I don't know much about God; I just know what other people have told me. I had to be open to learning more and I learned to trust my new knowledge of my God and that came from continuing on my step work. Step Two doesn't say 'suddenly had unshakable knowledge of God'.

02-26-2011, 07:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
OklaBH Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: The Sooner State Posts: 1,058 Blog Entries: 2	Step 2 question If you already believe in God how does step 2 apply to you? I am definetly a believer in the man upstairs...just put him off for 11 years to get drunk...

02-26-2011, 08:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
BadCompany Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Kansas Posts: 768	You believe in him, how much do you trust him? __________________ All quotes are from the Alcoholics Anonymous.1st Edition "Lord, take me where you want me to go, let me meet who you want me to meet, tell me what you want me to say, and keep me out of your way." - Fr. Michal Judge.

02-26-2011, 09:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
CarolD Forward we go...side by side Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Serene In Dixie Posts: 37,601	I too came into AA as a non active Christian. I happily returned to my childhood Sunday School God of love and forgivness..... Ergo...the AA Steps did not give me a spiritual awakening rather a renewal...resulting in a deeper peace and faith. Hi again...good to see you here in our Step Study Forum __________________ Each Day Sober Is A Victory!! Joy In AA Recovery!

02-27-2011, 06:46 AM	#8 (permalink)
bdiddy5522 Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Dakota, USA Posts: 1,390	For me, step two can be broken down into a few parts. The first step leaves us feeling miserable and defeated. But that is why the second step immediately follows it and gives us hope. First I came (I showed up at meetings), then I came to (the fog lifted), and then I came to believe (believed that the God of my understanding would relieve me from this insanity). The God of my understanding does not and keep score. It sounds like you are a Christian and that is good in my opinion. Jesus died for for our sins. He doesn't expect us to carry the things we did while drinking with us forever. I believe my God has taken then from me and I can wash my hands of them and move on. Hope this helps. This is how I completed step two anyways. __________________ Quitting is for winners!

02-27-2011, 06:56 AM	#9 (permalink)
laurie6781 Belgian Sheepdog Adictee Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: In Today Posts: 5,958	When I arrived in AA at 36 years old, I had left the Catholic Church 22 years prior, so I came in with a very 'warped' vision of a HP or "God as I understood him/her." I had a discussion with an old timer that happened to be a 'sober' priest. He told me to forget what the Nuns taught me, to forget what I 'thought' they said and instead just look around the meetings I attended, I would 'see' the miracles. And I did see the 'miracles'!!!!!! I have been able over these many years to conceive of a HP that is loving and kind and allows me to make mistakes. Prior to this revelation, when I was working Step 2, my sponsor had me look up the definition of the word "insanity." The definition that literally 'popped' out at me was: "the repetition of acts or actions EXPECTING different results." (The emphasis is mine.) Ok, I was able to see that my life out there practicing this affliction was INSANITY. Yet here I was, going to many meetings and seeing people that were now sane, or appeared sane, and were productive members of society. So .......................... for my first Step 2 (yes, I have, just for my own benefit worked all the steps several times in these many years) I chose to use the group as a 'source' of returning me to sanity. And ................................ they did. The folks I met in the different meetings I attended showed me how to become 'civilized again.' Taught me how to become a productive member of society. Taught me how to interact with others SOBER. In reality gave me back a life I had forgotten existed. Step 2, beyond starting to believe in a HP, is about changing our acts and actions. And when we do, the actions and reactions toward us change also. J M H O Hope the above helps. Love and hugs, __________________ God Bless You All As You Trudge The Road Of Happy Destiny (especially when you are trudgin thru alligators up to your butt) Sobriety: AA June 7, 1981 Codependency: Alanon June 7, 1984

02-26-2011, 08:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
FrothyJay Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 581	Well, it's your conception of God that matters, so if you've already got that, just go with it. But I would encourage you to be open to a new experience with God by working the steps-- you may find that as you go through them, your concept changes a bit, and your relationship shifts. I was an agnostic who did not absolutely concede in Step 2 that there was a power greater than myself that could restore me to sanity. But I was willing to find out by doing the steps, cause I didn't have many options.

02-27-2011, 05:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
OklaBH Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: The Sooner State Posts: 1,058 Blog Entries: 2	Did some soul searching and my concept of god is him in a chair keep score on all the things I have done bad in order to confront me with them when I die. That is the God I pictured growing up. Im trying to wrap my head around a Lord that love and understands and wants me to not hurt myself anymore. I guess I cant skip step 2 afterall!

02-27-2011, 07:24 AM	#10 (permalink)
Tommyh Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 18,952	my conception of God would not keep me sober,so I had to find one that did

02-27-2011, 02:04 PM	#12 (permalink)
OklaBH Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: The Sooner State Posts: 1,058 Blog Entries: 2	I have a new picture of God. One that loves me enough to let me stay on earth for awhile and get sober. He couldve let me die and I would have...no doubt about it. If I continued to drink I would die. For whatever reason he shook my core and gave me another chance.

03-03-2011, 09:17 AM	#13 (permalink)
NewGrowth Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 154 Blog Entries: 24	One thing that helped me here, and this is a side-project, not a step replacement: I wrote a list of what I've been told God is. Long white beard, white, human body, male, big book with lists of good/bad (santa??), hated sex, killed liars and gays. Then I crossed out everything that I did not think God was. There was a lot of black ink on that paper! Next I wrote what I knew of God and what MY concept of God was. It looked very different. The biggest thing I did was to admit that I don't know much about God; I just know what other people have told me. I had to be open to learning more and I learned to trust my new knowledge of my God and that came from continuing on my step work. Step Two doesn't say 'suddenly had unshakable knowledge of God'.

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