YoungAndClean

There is a lot of talk about finding a HP and asking a HP (higher power) for help in recovery. Lots of people have different and unique higher powers, and it's suggested we get a HP even if we are agnostic/athiest. I'm curious, have any of you been cured from the disease of addiction by your higher power: God, Buddha, Frank Sinatra, etc. If in the steps of AA we are told to turn our lives over to the care of God as we understand him, and we ask God to remove our character defects.

Why not ask God to be cured? Why would a HP deny us freedom from our addiction w/o a tall list of actions we must take on a daily basis. If our HP has power, why not just pray to end all of this insanity and be a normie.

MythOfSisyphus

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

― Epicurus

I'm not sure I can help you here; I'm with Epicurus! But I think the idea of a higher power is a tool to explain to the alcoholic that the solution isn't going to be willpower but an admission that willpower has failed. I don't subscribe to that view but it works for AA and has helped a lot of people to stop drinking.

I am powerless over alcohol if I allow myself to start drinking. But I do have the power over that first glass! After that there's nothing I can do.

Religious people would say that God helps those that help themselves. If there is a God s/he obviously doesn't answer prayers in that manner (or at least sometimes the answer is "no").

At this point I think, God or no, you're going to have to take the first step towards recovery.

jazzfish

I tried this method countless times while hugging a toilet in the throes of a hangover. These prayers/wishes never worked. The end of insanity comes when my actions are consistent the realities of my existence. The "cure" is not magic, but having the strength, knowledge, courage, and wisdom to take those actions on a daily basis is a big change.

whalebelow

Look at it this way

YOUR mind tells you that God isn't there, doesn't care or whatever

That same mind tells you on a regular basis that drugs and booze are a solution to your life's problems and to life in general

Does your mind feed you useful, accurate reliable and healthy information? All the time?

If it isn't functioning accurately and reliably in one area, could it also be feeding you bad information on other things?

Don't fall victim to "contempt prior to investigation"

Thomasthetank

Truthfully, I have no idea. Many find strength in god in a way that I've never felt and I'm happy that whatever they're feeling is giving them the strength not to drink.

But personally, the only thing I've been able to find strength in is the knowledge of the suffering that waits at the end of that bottle of whiskey and all there is in my life which I don't want to throw away.

LadyBlue0527

You can ask God to cure you but if you had treatable cancer would you pray to God to be cured and then stop going to the doctors and refuse treatment?

Part of the beauty of sobriety is the self satisfaction that you get from the result of the hard work that you do. The steps keep you mindful on a daily basis and continue that work. The HP is meant to give you strength.

There is no easy way out of this although we'd like to think that there is. No matter what path you choose to take to achieve the goal it's all going to come down to the effort on your part and what you put into it. What's worth more to you, something that was handed to you or something that you worked hard for?

Dee74

There is no universal answer that will fit everyone.

My own recovery was secular...but through that recovery I ultimately reconnected with God...go figure

I prayed for a miracle many times over many many years...but like others have shared here the miracle only happened when I started working for it too.

D

whalebelow

You don't get a "cure" either.

The deal basically is, God removes the obsession to use, in order for that condition to remain so, you have to go help the addict that still suffers and pass on the message.

Depends how badly you want the obsession removed, hence the term "willing to go to any lengths"

You either have the "gift " of desperation or you don't.

As a former atheist, I got that gift.

dSober

The goal of AA is to get here, the second daily maintenance step:

Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

This, the first sentence in chapter 5, "How it Works", is true: Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.

I found that God, as I understand Him, does not want me to get wasted, or do a lot of other stupid crap I use to.

YoungAndClean

Wow am I ever impressed with these intelligent responses. There are some very bright minds on soberrecovery, wow, I'm just blown away by y' all.

I guess the part that doesn't make sense to me is why God is only willing to help me so long as I meet certain conditions. I feel like I earned my validity in asking for God to heal by addict brain through years and years of suffering from a mental illness I have no power over.

I know my HP doesn't owe me anything, but I wonder why it would be wrong to ask my God to no longer be an alcoholic/addict. It seems like maybe that would be too easy, so instead we are given a personal inventory to write, amends to make, admissions of our powerlessness and character defects, etc. This is suppose to clean our spirits up so God can enter us and remove the obsession to drink/use.

When I had a sponsor take me through the steps at no point did my HP enter me and take away my desire to get loaded. I worked so hard with my sponsor doing my steps and once I got to step 11 and 12 I was dealing with cravings just as badly.

So I wish God would make it easier on us and just remove our disease so long as we ask humbly and with sincerity. I was told to "Expect a Miracle" in AA so is anyone else wondering where their miracle is? Maybe this HP helping keep us sober is made up. Even if our HP is helping keep us sober, I am curious as to why we wouldn't be granted freedom from our disease freely and without having to earn anything.

I hope I havent bored or offended anyone, I am not trying to bash God or a HP and I am not an athiest, or even an agnostic, I'm more like a confused Christian.

Dee74

For me looking back, it wasn't a case of God not wanting to help me...it was a case of me trying to set the conditions....common enough for a control freak alcoholic but a terribly arrogant way to think, yeah?

It's like God kept giving me round pegs and I kept trying to force them through square holes.

I had to get out of my own way, YAC

God's plan for me was far better and greater than anything I could come up with

Of course...if you adopt a 'just stop that crap' approach like I did at the time, you can avoid all this spiritual angst, lol.

The common denominator for me in both approaches is a recovery is earned, not bequested.

I learned a lot - a HECK of a lot - in struggling to remain sober and I'm grateful for that. It keeps me sober now years later.

Without, I hope, causing offense, I personally feel I would have learned far less with a 'Road to Damascus' lightning bolt type divine miracle - which isn't how I read the Steps anyway

D

dSober

Not to worry, happens all the time here for those who are offendable. This is deep stuff we're talking about.

Not to offend either but I've heard/seen many here, with preconceived notions of God, having trouble. I consider myself lucky now that I was agnostic when I got here, and to AA. My understanding of God now is a concept, not an entity. He has no arms or legs and can't do anything except from within me, where He lives. I simply need to ask what God wants me to do, and do it, always. Takes the pressure of decision making right off of me.

This understanding didn't happen overnight. It happened when I sought Him, desperately, in order to live. I've found that I'm now living better, happier and more peaceful than I ever did before.

mfanch

This is all based on the premise that being an alcoholic is a "bad" or "evil" thing. It is how WE have judged it.

I have to say that alcoholism/drug addiction is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Because through it, I have found a life that is indescribable. I would never have known it otherwise. I am finally the person I have always wanted to me and I have purpose.

My only job is to find out how best to be of service and then DO it. I practice remaining open so that I have access to my inner resources.

biminiblue

Google and listen to Van Morrison's "Ancient Highway."

God is the voice inside that tells me the right choices to make in every situation, if I ask. We all have that voice. Van Morrison calls it his "Higher Self" in the song.

dSober

Another grateful alcoholic.

2muchpain

It seems the common thread to all people that managed to stay sober for a period of time is the work they put into it, whether they believe in a higher power or not. For some, the connection with a higher power is important in order to be willing to put the time and effort in staying sober. For others, the need to connect to a higher power isn't necessary to do this. I believe whatever works, work it. Although I see myself as a spiritual person, I don't rely on it to do anything for me. Maybe there is a higher power helping me, maybe not. It's what I do each and every day that makes the difference.

Noolan

I'm agnostic and this was/is a huge issue for me with AA. That said, I still go to meeting occasionally, because I've heard some great tips and received advice from those in the rooms.

Overall, I'm trying taking a throw everything I can at my addiction approach and see what sticks. Rational recovery helped me connect with identifying and combating my addictive voice, my therapist is helping work on my character flaws/personal issues, and AA helps me put a real life face to other addicts. Oh and of course, the support of SR.

Soberwolf

I've always believed in god not that I talk much about it that being said I'm also a man of science who gasps in awe knowing all this ain't just 'luck' that's my belief

My recovery however comes from understanding and learning who I really am and what I'm about

Yes I have faith and it got me through some dark moments

BadCompany

Free will. I can choose or not choose this God stuff at any time. It's not about meeting certain conditions it's about being an active participant in my own recovery.
If it were easy it would have no value.

whalebelow

What did you find out about yourself on your inventory?

No googling now!!