bbthumper

"We admitted we were powerless over alochol..."
"Lack of power was our dilemma"
"We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others"
"As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter."
"You forget that you have just now tapped a source of power much greater than yourself."
"praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out."

There seems to be a common misunderstanding among outsiders of AA that by joining the fellowship you are doomed to a life of being "powerless" or weak. The whole idea of the program is the exact opposite. Nowhere in the book does it say we remain powerless.
Left to my own devices I am indeed powerless over alcohol. I proved that by trying to stop drinking on my own unsucessfully. Having worked and continuing to work the program I have been given a new power. A power that I can live by. The power to help others. The power to grow spiritually. The power to discover the things within me that prevent me from growing spiritually and work to have them removed. A spiritually awakened individual is going to be so darn full of power that he or she will be dying to give some power away. And thats what we get to do. Then new power flows in.
Of course I need to remember that this power did not originate in me. I did not create it, but who cares? Its there for the taking if I want it! And I certainly do. I have accomplished far more on this source of power than I ever did on my own will power.

This idea that we are powerless and always will be is common. I am not sure where it came from, but I dont see it in the Big Book. I see the exact opposite.

God Bless You All!