I remember sincerely praying to God countless times to take the obsession away and it never happened. And countless times, once the hangover was gone and the current crisis was over I was back running the show again.

The turning point for me is when I made the decision in step 3 to turn my will and my life completely over to the care of my HP, and then following through with that decision by working the rest of the steps. I had done the "3 step shuffle" for many years in AA and the result was never good. Making a decision is meaningless if it is not followed through with action.

NickiJay, I think the answers you are seeking can be found in the steps. It took me 23 years in and out of AA before finally following through with my decision in step 3 by taking the rest of the steps. Now when I pray to my HP I ask what I can do for Him, not what can he do for me.

I personally never saw the relevance of God to becoming sober

God will do for us what we can't do for ourselves but he won't do what we can. Do you have a sponsor, are working the steps, service work, coming early staying late, talking to other alcoholics, helping others, reading literature, posting here.

People who do not recover are people who can not or will not completely give themselves to this simple program

Read Appendix 2 in the big book in the back. It explains for some it is sudden and removed, for others, by going through the steps it happens too. Trust it. And ask to trust it next time you pray. But read it. There holds your answer.

Might be part something worth exploring if you are having trouble staying sober

We read step 2 in the 12 and 12 last night. I think it could be a good read for you at the moment...

Alcoholics Anonymous : Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Hi - have you tried other methods of working toward sobriety? Just a thought.

This is a great thread! Thank you for this information. I too have been on my knees both drunk and sober. Asking for this to be taken away. Just take this desire away. I have a cousin with whom I'm very close. She asked what I felt when I did that. My answer was nothing. I felt so alone. I think along the way that I lost my connection with God. I mean, I always know that He is and has been there. Today, I am seeking that closer connection. I've been reading devotionals, praying and meditating on them. Going to church more regularly. Even tivo'd some sermons that I catch when I can.

I don't have much to add, but thank you for this thread. It really helped me today!

Me either. I know now. It is speed among other things.

In early AA days the boys wanted to open up in another area and asked their medical friends to go there and explain how AA worked. Much to their suprise the doctors refused. When asked why they said, "We see AA works, we don't question that, but what we can't explain is the speed at which it works. What AA accomplishes in a few weeks or months can seldom be accomplished with years of therapy. We can't explain it".

Maybe another aspect that was the case for me was that I couldn't see the need for a higher power for as long as my own power seemed adequate. It was only when my own resources failed, that I began to see the need to get some more power from somewhere else.