Many newcomers to the AA Program have a disdain or fear for any references to religious thoughts or ideas and, so, shut themselves off from listening to anything related to religion. Even after being told that this is not a religious program but is a spiritual program, I wondered what is the difference? And why do I need to pay any attention? It has not worked for me in the past so why will it work now?
Then I started paying attention to others who were working their program. I saw many who I had known to have been as miserable and defeated as I was back in the day. They, now, were seemingly Happy, Joyous, and Free. Before and after meetings, they were jokin’ and smokin’ and having a great time. I wanted what they had. I was willing to do anything to attain some measure of that comfort. One of my first pieces of advice that I remember is to believe that things were getting better. Much better. I heard, saw, and felt them getting better.
Then, I told my sponsors how I was feeling and was asked how much I really believed it. I told them just how I felt. That I truly believed that working my program and diving head first into the spiritual side of it was making me a different, newer person. I really did not feel like I was that person any more. I liked having fear disappear from my system.
Even that deep seated fear that I was not even able to identify was disappearing. I was then told that I now could say that I knew what Faith was because I could feel, smell, touch, taste, hear the difference and knew it to be true. This brings us right back to the basic CBA. First comes the shortened 3rd Step, Simply saying “God Help Me!” Then I Create the idea that I could be a good person who was happy with myself. Then I truly and deeply Believe that I can actually fulfill this thought. Finally I actually Achieve the serenity that I had sought for so long and had seemed to be just out of reach.
This, then, is the birth of Faith. When I can actually demonstrate this by FEELING it, it is true! It all starts out with Fake it ‘till I Make it or acting “As If” and the good times roll and follow! Remember Nike’s slogan – Just do it! God bless you!
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