as people of prayer, and recovering alcoholics
The AA Preamble that we hear before every meeting here ends with “Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.”
This does not say that this is A purpose but is OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE. I have seen too many people coming into the program who are instantly an expert on getting sober and are telling anyone, whether they want to listen or not, how to do it. Then taking another road trip.
The 1st suggestion in the Preamble is to STAY sober. To do this is not the same as just stopping drinking. Far from it. Sobriety is composed of so much more.
As important as stopping drinking is, there is so much more to not only do but to be gifted with from our Higher Power. We have quit before, many of us many times. Quitting drinking alone is NOT being sober.
It is an important ingredient but only one of a large menu of ingredients to get and stay sober. How do we stay sober? We work the program of AA in our everyday lives, 24/7/365.
At first, this seems like too big a task but, if we are really ready to exchange our misery for serenity, we will look much deeper into the program. “How do I do it?”, one may ask.
Find someone that has a program that we admire and copy what they say and do. “Fake it ‘till you make it.” If they say something, say it too, even if we don’t know what it means or how. If this person does something, do it too.
How do we know what to look for or what to do? We start out by saying the shortened version of the 3rd Step, “God, Help Me.” This simple prayer to our Higher Power, no matter what our Higher Power is, works wonders, even miracles.
This simple prayer is best used before doing anything at all. Remember, we are trying to change our lives from total chaos and misery to Serenity and Joy and Freedom. In this case, after saying “God, Help Me,” the inspiration for just the right thing to do or not do will appear.
So, what does this mean with respect to our Primary Purpose? We have discovered that we have not been successful at all using so many other methods of getting sober.
We now have seen many in the program who are Happy, Joyous, and Free and they said that to even think of getting that way, they decided to try what had worked for millions of others.
Enter the Spiritual part of the program. It seemed to work for many others so why not try it? Before starting anything, simply say “God, Help Me.” If someone seems to be working a successful program say and do just what they do, whether believed or not.
This was best explained to me early in the program when I was told to Fake it until I made it. I was willing to go to any lengths so I started out faking everything by making it a positive.
It didn’t take long until I didn’t think that I was faking it anymore or copying another. It felt like it was original to me. I had no religious or spiritual background so I even faked this, to begin with.
Soon, I started feeling and demonstrating the results of prayer and asking my Higher Power, who I now call God, for help and actually GETTING IT. I was becoming truly Happy, Joyous, and Free.
When this happens, then it is time to make a point of trying to help others. Actually, we are helping others by just showing up at AA meetings and sharing our stories.
When we remember to ask for God’s help and take it, things just keep on getting better every day. How long can this last? It can and will last just as long if we keep using this simple, but not always easy, method.
This method is of asking God for help and actually looking and listening for it. Then actually doing it. And, foremost for this alcoholic, remember to not take that 1st drink. Thank you, God!
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