Recovery Meditations: March 13, 2015
WORRY
Don't worry about the
world coming to an end today.
It's already tomorrow
in Australia.
Charles Schultz
Worry...that's a topic I'm really good at! Since working the
Twelve Steps, however, I am beginning to see some things about worry that,
hopefully, will soon make it a thing of the past in my life. After all, why
should I worry? What has worry ever done for me, except mess up my life?
I am seeing that when I am worrying about something, I have
not turned it over to my Higher Power, and I am continuing to act from my own
self-will. Or, I did turn it over to my Higher Power, but didn't really trust
Him to take care of it, and so I took it back!
I had a breakthrough, just a couple of days ago, concerning
worry. I was concerned about a decision my husband and I had to make and it was
so far beyond my ability to see into the future that I gave up and prayed for
help. Somehow I let go and let God. Suddenly a beautiful stillness and peace
came over me. I felt calmer than I had in years ... very calm and still and at
peace. I felt completely reassured that God was handling my "decision"
and that God was completely competent to do so.
One Day at a Time . .
.
I abandon worry. I
let go and let God, and enjoy the serenity and peace of trust in God.
~ Lynne T.
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Each Day a New Beginning
People need joy quite as much as clothing. Some of them need it far more.
—Margaret Collier Graham
Life is not without pain and travail. They are necessary to new awareness which prompts growth. And the gift of growth is joy. Pain and joy are thus intertwined. It is possible to feel only the burden of pain and not the exhilaration of joy, however.
Before seeking help to change our lives, many of us were heavily burdened by pain. But we were unable to open ourselves to the knowledge made possible by that pain. We were on a treadmill, accumulating painful experiences at every step, unable to capture the joy that was ever present.
We can have hope. Joy does await each of us today. We must open our eyes to it, just as we must open our hearts to one another. We must be willing to peel away the layers of pain to expose the core, the seedling of joy. And we need joy in our lives, just as surely as we need rest and a good diet. We need the light heart that joy fosters for a better perspective on the many experiences we'll face today, and every day.
Recovery has given me this new option. It guarantees me that every hurdle will be lightened. The knowledge that joy is inherent, within every experience, is mine, now and forever.
—Margaret Collier Graham
Life is not without pain and travail. They are necessary to new awareness which prompts growth. And the gift of growth is joy. Pain and joy are thus intertwined. It is possible to feel only the burden of pain and not the exhilaration of joy, however.
Before seeking help to change our lives, many of us were heavily burdened by pain. But we were unable to open ourselves to the knowledge made possible by that pain. We were on a treadmill, accumulating painful experiences at every step, unable to capture the joy that was ever present.
We can have hope. Joy does await each of us today. We must open our eyes to it, just as we must open our hearts to one another. We must be willing to peel away the layers of pain to expose the core, the seedling of joy. And we need joy in our lives, just as surely as we need rest and a good diet. We need the light heart that joy fosters for a better perspective on the many experiences we'll face today, and every day.
Recovery has given me this new option. It guarantees me that every hurdle will be lightened. The knowledge that joy is inherent, within every experience, is mine, now and forever.
From Each Day a New Beginning: Daily Meditations for Women by Karen Casey
© 1982, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation.
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Food for Thought
No More Diets
OA is not another diet club. Abstinence is not something we go on for a while, until we achieve a desired weight goal, and then go off. We are through with diets. In the past, they may have worked for a time, but sooner or later we became bored with them, quit, and regained the weight we had lost.
OA is a program of recovery. We discover that what we eat is not the most important thing in our lives. Each day we plan what is necessary for the nourishment of our bodies, and then we are free to forget about food and go on with our living.
Instead of following a diet for a certain length of time, we maintain abstinence from compulsive overeating every day of our lives so that we may feel good and function effectively. We work the program, live the Twelve Steps, and enjoy each day as never before. We are recovering.
Thank You for the gift of recovery.
OA is not another diet club. Abstinence is not something we go on for a while, until we achieve a desired weight goal, and then go off. We are through with diets. In the past, they may have worked for a time, but sooner or later we became bored with them, quit, and regained the weight we had lost.
OA is a program of recovery. We discover that what we eat is not the most important thing in our lives. Each day we plan what is necessary for the nourishment of our bodies, and then we are free to forget about food and go on with our living.
Instead of following a diet for a certain length of time, we maintain abstinence from compulsive overeating every day of our lives so that we may feel good and function effectively. We work the program, live the Twelve Steps, and enjoy each day as never before. We are recovering.
Thank You for the gift of recovery.
From Food for Thought: Daily Meditations for Overeaters by Elisabeth L.
©1980, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation.
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The Language of Letting Go
Clarity and direction
In spite of our best efforts to work our programs and lean on God's guidance, we sometimes don't understand what's going on in our life. We trust, wait, pray, listen to people, listen to ourselves, and the answer still does not come.
During those times, we need to understand that we are right where we need to be, even though that place may feel awkward and uncomfortable. Our life does have purpose and direction.
We are being changed, healed, and transformed at levels deeper than we can imagine. Good things, beyond our capacity to imagine, are being prepared and brought to us. We are being led and guided.
We can become peaceful. We do not have to act in haste or urgency just to relieve our discomfort, just to get an answer. We can wait until our mind is peaceful. We can wait for clear direction. Clarity will come.
The answer will come, and it will be good for us and those around us.
Today, God, help me know I am being guided into what's good about life, especially when I feel confused and without direction. Help me trust enough to wait until my mind and vision are clear and consistent. Help me know that clarity will come.
In spite of our best efforts to work our programs and lean on God's guidance, we sometimes don't understand what's going on in our life. We trust, wait, pray, listen to people, listen to ourselves, and the answer still does not come.
During those times, we need to understand that we are right where we need to be, even though that place may feel awkward and uncomfortable. Our life does have purpose and direction.
We are being changed, healed, and transformed at levels deeper than we can imagine. Good things, beyond our capacity to imagine, are being prepared and brought to us. We are being led and guided.
We can become peaceful. We do not have to act in haste or urgency just to relieve our discomfort, just to get an answer. We can wait until our mind is peaceful. We can wait for clear direction. Clarity will come.
The answer will come, and it will be good for us and those around us.
Today, God, help me know I am being guided into what's good about life, especially when I feel confused and without direction. Help me trust enough to wait until my mind and vision are clear and consistent. Help me know that clarity will come.
From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie
©1990, Hazelden Foundation.
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Today's thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:
I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to dread one day at a time.
--Charles Schulz
Living one day at a time is a big project. Most of us have just enough faith, patience, and courage to last 24 hours. We all seem to be in need of a daily refueling.
Living in today helps keep our lives balanced and simple. At first, we may need to practice staying in the present. We may find that we need to keep bringing ourselves back to today from yesterday or tomorrow.
There is nothing that will happen today that we can't, with God's help, manage.
Today let me keep my feet firmly planted in the bedrock of the present, my only reality.
I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to dread one day at a time.
--Charles Schulz
Living one day at a time is a big project. Most of us have just enough faith, patience, and courage to last 24 hours. We all seem to be in need of a daily refueling.
Living in today helps keep our lives balanced and simple. At first, we may need to practice staying in the present. We may find that we need to keep bringing ourselves back to today from yesterday or tomorrow.
There is nothing that will happen today that we can't, with God's help, manage.
Today let me keep my feet firmly planted in the bedrock of the present, my only reality.
You are reading from the book:
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